Americans’ Actions to Conserve Energy, Reduce Waste, and Limit Global Warming

The report details the behaviors of 1,010 American adults in May 2011 across household, consumer, and citizen activities. Key findings include a decline in the frequency of setting thermostats to 68 degrees or cooler compared to 2008, while a majority of respondents (53%) report that 'most' or 'all' of their home light bulbs are compact fluorescent lights (CFLs). Consumer activism shows that 56% of respondents 'Never' rewarded companies for reducing global warming through purchases in the past year, though 39% intend to do so 'More frequently' in the next 12 months. Citizen engagement remains low, with 90% of respondents having 'Never' contacted government officials about global warming in the past year.

• In May 2011, 45% of American adults reported that they 'Always' or 'Often' set their thermostat to 68 degrees or cooler in the winter, a decrease from 42% in June 2010 and 62% in November 2008.
• A majority of respondents have adopted energy-efficient lighting; 53% stated that 'All' or 'Most' of the light bulbs in their home are compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) as of May 2011.
• Americans perceive a greater impact on global warming when actions are taken collectively rather than individually: 39% believe actions by people in 'modern industrialized countries around the world' would reduce global warming 'A lot', compared to only 7% who believe their own personal contribution would be reduced 'A lot'.
• Consumer activism is characterized by low historical engagement but future intent; 56% of respondents 'Never' rewarded companies for reducing global warming by buying their products in the past 12 months, yet 39% intend to do so 'More frequently' over the next year.
• Direct citizen engagement with government regarding global warming is very low, with 90% of respondents reporting they 'Never' wrote letters, emailed, or phoned government officials about the issue in the past 12 months.
• Among those who contacted government officials about global warming in May 2011, 77% did so to 'Urge them to take action to reduce global warming', while 20% urged them 'to not take action'.

APA

Leiserowitz, A., Maibach, E., Roser-Renouf, C., & Smith, N. (2011). Americans’ Actions to Conserve Energy, Reduce Waste, and Limit Global Warming. Center for Climate Change Communication. https://climatecommunication.gmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/May-2011-Americans-Actions-to-Conserve-Energy-Reduce-Waste-and-Limit-Global-Warming.pdf

Chicago

Leiserowitz, Anthony, Edward Maibach, Connie Roser-Renouf, and Nicholas Smith. Americans’ Actions to Conserve Energy, Reduce Waste, and Limit Global Warming. Center for Climate Change Communication, 2011. https://climatecommunication.gmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/May-2011-Americans-Actions-to-Conserve-Energy-Reduce-Waste-and-Limit-Global-Warming.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Leiserowitz |first1=Anthony |last2=Maibach |first2=Edward |last3=Roser-Renouf |first3=Connie |last4=Smith |first4=Nicholas |title=Americans’ Actions to Conserve Energy, Reduce Waste, and Limit Global Warming |publisher=Center for Climate Change Communication |date=May 2011 |url=https://climatecommunication.gmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/May-2011-Americans-Actions-to-Conserve-Energy-Reduce-Waste-and-Limit-Global-Warming.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{leiserowitz2011americans, author = {Leiserowitz, Anthony and Maibach, Edward and Roser-Renouf, Connie and Smith, Nicholas}, title = {{Americans’ Actions to Conserve Energy, Reduce Waste, and Limit Global Warming}}, institution = {Center for Climate Change Communication}, year = {2011}, month = may, url = {https://climatecommunication.gmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/May-2011-Americans-Actions-to-Conserve-Energy-Reduce-Waste-and-Limit-Global-Warming.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }