Not cool: Survey finds over 1/2 Utahns unwilling to make lifestyle changes to stop global warming.
Climate change, or global warming, is a hot topic. We are all aware there are certain things we could be doing to help alleviate the issue, but how much would we actually be prepared to do? Solar installation company, Sandbar Solar, polled 3,500 Americans to gauge if they would be prepared to make significant lifestyle changes, such as eating less meat or driving their cars less, if it helped to stop, slow or reverse global climate change.
Overall, just over half - 52% - of people said they would make significant lifestyle changes, though when broken down by gender, only 44% of men would be prepared to, compared to 59% of women. And when the results were broken down by state, it was revealed that the majority of residents of the Beehive State (59%) are unwilling to make significant lifestyle changes to help the environment. However, it is Kansans who are the least disposed, where only 28% of people said they would change their habits.
To see how each state compares, check out Sandbar Solar’s interactive map: https://www.sandbarsolar.com/news/fighting-climate-change/ (click on ‘embed’ to host).
When asked specifically about what lifestyle changes they would make, a significant 43% of respondents say they would consider cutting down on meat (perhaps surprising for a country which lays claim to inventing the hamburger), and 71% would consider driving their cars less.
Encouragingly, two thirds (66%) of respondents said they try to cut down on their energy use, such as turning off lights when not being used and powering down their computers after work etc. And 65% of Americans say they take measures to lower water usage (such as turning off the tap when brushing teeth). 84% also say they try to reduce their use of plastic in every day life.
However, there seems to be a fair deal of misunderstanding around the topic, too: 58% of people did not correctly identify the scientific community’s widely-assumed causes of global warming (farming, burning fossil fuels and deforestation). Instead, 44% think it is due to cyclical weather patterns, 7% think the sun is getting hotter and 7% think the earth is moving closer to the sun.
Lastly, 66% of people have never researched how they could save on bills by using alternative sources of energy.
“Solar energy reduces global demand for fossil fuels and makes it easier for people to shrink their carbon footprints. There are many incentives and financing options available for homeowners to help them make the switch to solar”, says Scott Laskey, President, Sandbar Solar.
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3 Myths That Rob Millions
Of Financial Success
When it comes to achieving personal success or accumulating wealth in America, there is no one "set-in-stone" path. But the most accepted formula still seems to be: make excellent grades, earn a college degree, and climb the corporate ladder by outworking everyone around you.
In an ever-changing business world, however, some entrepreneurs say that traditional thinking is misguided and outdated – and that it can be self-limiting to those who buy into it and fall short of those standards.
“There’s a lot of poisonous conventional wisdom we’ve heard all of our life, things that hold many great people back,” says Daniel Ameduri (www.futuremoneytrends.com), co-founder of the Future Money Trends newsletter. “Much of what we’re led to believe leads to success is really a collection of myths. And they become obstacles in our path when we feel we can’t measure up.
“But if you start to believe in yourself, you can overcome the many negative roadblocks that can be deeply embedded in our subconscious minds.”
Ameduri goes over three common myths that interfere with people’s potential:
Get great grades and degrees. Many successful and wealthy people never graduated from college, and recently some of America’s biggest brands removed college diplomas from their job requirements. “High grades and a degree can certainly help you,” Ameduri says, “but this very thought has held back millions. Study after study of millionaires has proven that GPAs and college play a very limited role. This belief actually has the biggest negative effect on people who were straight-A students, but later went on to face rejection in business and in life. This belief has also held back millions who think they aren’t smart enough to achieve greatness due to poor or average grades in school.”
Work harder than everybody. “Let’s change it to, ‘Work smarter,’ ” Ameduri says. “I would encourage anyone who has any influence on a child to replace this with ‘work smarter.’ Success does come with sacrifice, but working 12-to-16-hour days is not mandatory. However, maximizing your time and covering details, like researching your investments, is required. I know many people who want to get rich, but then spend their entire Saturday mowing the lawn, grocery shopping, and doing other $10-an-hour jobs. Is that really the best use of their time? And how about time spent in meetings? My honest conclusion is that meetings are where productivity goes to die. If you want something done, use email, make written offers and proposals, and then get it done.”
‘Jobs are safe; business is risky.’ “Jobs are just as risky, not only because you can be fired or laid off, but because you cap your income,” Ameduri says. “If you’re a school teacher and you over-deliver, it probably won’t change your income. Own a tutoring company and over-deliver, and you’ll receive tips, bonuses, gifts, and can raise your rates. The income equation is simple: deliver value.”
“Belief in one’s self, discipline, and perception of risk,” Ameduri says, “have a lot more to do with becoming successful or even a multi-millionaire and living your own dream life.”
About Daniel Ameduri
Daniel Ameduri (www.FutureMoneyTrends.com) is co-founder of the Future Money Trends newsletter, an authority for financial freedom and economic research in commodities, cryptocurrencies, personal finance and income ideas. A self-made multi-millionaire, Ameduri also has a YouTube channel, VisionVictory, that has received 10 million video views. He’s also been featured in The Wall Street Journal and ABC World News.
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Dear Dave,
My mom is single, and she co-signed on my student loans for college. Would it affect her credit if I couldn’t or didn’t make the payments?
Terri
Dear Terri,
Yes, it would. The truth is, your mom shouldn’t have co-signed for you in the first place. There’s only one reason lenders want a co-signer, and that’s because they’re afraid the person taking out the loan won’t be able to pay back what’s owed.
You’ll be trashing your and your mom’s credit if you don’t pay the bills on time. If she co-signed for you, and you don’t do the right thing and pay back the loans, she’ll start getting phone calls looking for the money, too. I don’t think you want to subject your mom to the stress and hassle of collector calls or bad marks on her credit, do you?
Believe me, I understand what happened. Your mom loves you, and she wants the best for you. She’s willing to do whatever it takes to help her daughter succeed. What I want you both to understand going forward is that the idea you have to borrow money to attend college—or do anything else, really—is a myth. There are many ways to get a great education, and find excellent career opportunities, without borrowing a dime. Scholarships and grants are everywhere these days. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with working before and during college to help cash-flow an education, or you can begin your studies at a community college where the costs are much less.
In addition to four-year schools and community colleges, anyone looking to further their education shouldn’t ignore the possibility of trade or technical schools. At these institutions, you can get valuable training that’s highly marketable. Not to mention completing a trade or technical school program usually takes less time and is cheaper than a bachelor’s degree.
My goal here isn’t to fuss at you or beat you up, Terri. It’s just very important you understand what’s at stake—now and in the future. My hope is to give you and your mom some good information that will help each of you make smarter, more informed financial decisions down the road!
—Dave
* Dave Ramsey is CEO of Ramsey Solutions. He has authored seven best-selling books, including The Total Money Makeover. The Dave Ramsey Show is heard by more than 14 million listeners each week on 600 radio stations and multiple digital platforms. Follow Dave on the web at daveramsey.com and on Twitter at @DaveRamsey
