Senior Citizens Most Pessimistic in U.S. About Future of Their Communities

Optimism about communities getting better for grandchildren fades as Americans age

	See details in Table 5 below news story

July 30, 2008 – Senior citizens are by far the most pessimistic U.S. age group, when asked about the future quality of life in their communities. A new Harris Poll finds about half of all Americans think life in their area will be better for their children and grandchildren, but two-thirds of the oldest Americans say it will get worse.

The poll found the pessimism about the future of local communities increased by age. Here are the percentages by age group that expressed confidence that things will improve:

   ● 56% of Echo Boomers (those aged 18-31)
   ● 38% of Baby Boomers (those aged 44-62) and
   ● 32% of Matures (those aged 63 and older).

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Just over half of all U.S. adults (56%) believe that the quality of life in the area they live in will decrease for their children and grandchildren while 44 percent believe it will increase.

Economic Growth vs the Environment

The polls also found that as economic conditions worsen, people who are asked to make a decision between protecting the environment or economic growth and development have moved even more strongly into the economic growth column.

Specifically, the Harris Poll conducted online among 2,454 adults aged 18 and over between June 9 and 16, 2008 by Harris Interactiveฎ found:

   ● U.S. adults are divided on how they perceive things in their own community as 38 percent say it is going in the right direction while 37 percent believe things have "pretty seriously gotten off on the wrong track". This perception has gotten better in the past few months. In November, almost half (47%) of adults felt things were going off on the wrong track in their community and one-third (32%) felt they were going in the right direction;

   ● More than three in five Americans (63%) say economic growth and development is more important to their region while one-quarter (27%) believe protecting the environment is more important. Just over three in ten Easterners (31%) believe protecting the environment is more important while seven in ten Midwesterners (69%) believe economic growth is more important;

   ● The focus on economic growth has grown over the last year. In June of 2007, Americans were more divided as 48 percent thought economic growth was more important and 43 percent believed protecting the environment was more important. In November, a small 51 percent to 37 percent majority believed economic growth was more important; and,

In Canada, there are different opinions on some of these topics:

   ● Canadians are much more positive about the direction of their community as over three in five (63%) believe things in their community are going in the right direction and 37 percent say they are going off on the wrong track;

   ● Canadians are more evenly split on which is more important, economics or environment as 45 percent say it is economic growth and development and 44 percent believe it is protecting the environment; and,

   ● One area Canadians agree with Americans on is the quality of life in their region for children and grandchildren as 56 percent of Canadians say it will decrease and 44 percent believe it will increase.

So What?

“As the economic woes continue, anything that places the economy versus something else will see economy most likely winning the battle,” according to the Harris analysis.

“But, many polls, including earlier Harris Polls, show very strong support for strengthening environmental protections and regulations. Also, most people do not see the hard trade off between economic development and protecting the environment. In fact, many people believe that we not only can do both of these, but that we should be doing both.”

TABLE 1

DIRECTION OF COMMUNITY

"Do you feel things in your own community today are going in the right direction or do you feel things have pretty seriously gotten off on the wrong track?"

Base: All adults

Note: Percentages may not add up exactly to 100 percent due to rounding

Note: n/a means not asked

TABLE 2 – US TREND

DIRECTION OF COMMUNITY

"Do you feel things in your own community today are going in the right direction or do you feel things have pretty seriously gotten off on the wrong track?"

Base: All adults

Note: Percentages may not add up exactly to 100 percent due to rounding

TABLE 3

ENVIRONMENT VERSUS ECONOMIC GROWTH

"What would you say is more important to your region – protecting the environment or economic growth and development?"

Base: All adults

Note: Percentages may not add up exactly to 100 percent due to rounding

TABLE 4

ENVIRONMENT VERSUS ECONOMIC GROWTH – US TREND

"What would you say is more important to your region – protecting the environment or economic growth and development?"

Base: All adults

Note: Percentages may not add up exactly to 100 percent due to rounding

TABLE 5

QUALITY OF LIFE FOR FUTURE

"Thinking about the quality of life that will be here for your or your friends’ children and grandchildren…do you see their quality of life in the area where you live increasing or decreasing in the future?"

Base: All adults

Note: Percentages may not add up exactly to 100 percent due to rounding

Read the complete analysis:

http://www.harrisinteractive.com/harris_poll/index.asp?PID=938

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