Oregonians are less concerned about climate change than housing, substance abuse, and politics 

(JULY 21, 2023) People in Oregon have different opinions about climate change. Some are very worried about it, while others are not as concerned. A recent survey asked Oregonians about their feelings on climate change and compared it to other important issues like homelessness and affordable housing.

The survey was conducted by the Oregon Values and Beliefs Center from February 11 to 20, 2023. They asked people in Oregon about their values and beliefs. The survey included questions about climate change, the economy, jobs, energy, the environment, natural resources, politics, and public affairs.

The survey found that four out of ten Oregonians are very worried about the impacts of climate change. However, more people are concerned about issues like homelessness and affordable housing. Concerns about substance abuse, political polarization, and political violence also ranked higher than climate change.

Only one out of ten Oregonians said they are not worried at all about climate change. The people who are most worried about climate change are women, those who are 65 years or older, those with a college degree, and people who live in urban areas.

In a previous survey, when people were asked to mention the most important issues for elected officials, climate change ranked sixth. Homelessness, housing affordability, crime and safety, drugs and addiction, and the cost of living were mentioned more often.

Looking ahead to the next 100 years, more Oregonians believe that climate change will lead to major problems like ecological collapse and loss of human life. Only a small percentage of people think climate change is not really happening. The people most likely to say we're in trouble are women, college graduates, urban residents, and BIPOC Oregonians.

Oregonians believe that both the government and individuals need to take action to tackle climate change. In a previous survey, many people said that both strong individual actions and government regulations are necessary. Some people focused more on government regulations, while others focused on individual actions. A few people said no action was needed or that they didn't know what to do.

Oregonians have already noticed some effects of climate change. They mentioned longer and hotter summers, droughts, extreme weather events like hurricanes and floods, and environmental events like forest fires, crop failures, and dying trees.

To address climate change, Oregonians called for both government regulations and individual actions. They supported actions like planting more trees, using renewable energy, reducing industrial emissions, and improving fuel efficiency standards. They also believed that individuals should reduce their use of fossil fuels, drive less, use less water, consume fewer goods, and travel by air less.

Some Oregonians shared their own thoughts about climate change. One person said they worry that not everyone is doing their part, but they believe humans can solve problems. Another person mentioned that it will become harder for humans and there will be more deaths and strain on infrastructure. People also mentioned the impact of climate change on crops, water, and their jobs. Some people expressed concern about the future and the lack of changes being made to fix the problem.

Overall, the survey shows that climate change is an important issue to many Oregonians, but there are other immediate concerns that often take priority.