Air Pollution - Information Needs and the Knowledge, Attitudes and Behaviour of Canadians - Final Report

11.0 Personal Action (continued)

11.3 Likelihood of Taking Various Actions to Combat Air Pollution

Canadians are most willing to choose a more fuel-efficient car, learn more about efficient driving habits and take alternative methods of transportation to work to combat air pollution. They are least willing to pay more for gasoline or other non-renewable fuels, pay higher taxes to support action against air pollution and support or join an environmental group.

Canadians' likelihood of taking action to help combat air pollution varies considerably depending on the possible action. In general, they appear more willing to undertake those activities that are less inconvenient and are less likely to result in them spending more money. More than eight in ten say they are very or somewhat likely to choose a more fuel-efficient car (63% very likely, 24% somewhat likely) and learn more about efficient driving habits (52% very likely, 29% somewhat likely) to help combat air pollution. About three-quarters are likely to take alternative methods of transportation, such as public transit or carpooling, to work (50% very likely, 23% somewhat likely) and limit their use of gas lawn mowers, leaf blowers or snow blowers (44% very likely, 28% somewhat likely). Two-thirds (66%) report that they are very (37%) or somewhat likely (29%) to reduce their use of air conditioning to help combat air pollution.

Less than one-half of Canadians are willing to pay more for gasoline or other non-renewable fuels (18% very likely, 30% somewhat likely), support or join an environmental group (20% very likely, 26% somewhat likely) and pay higher taxes to support action against air pollution (15% very likely, 31% somewhat likely). Of note, at least one-quarter say they are not at all likely to undertake these three activities (pay higher taxes to support action against air pollution, 29%: support or join an environmental group, 26%: pay more for gasoline or other non-renewable fuels, 25%).

There are a number of interesting differences among the various age groups with respect to their level of Likelihood to undertake some of these activities. Those between 16 and 29 years of age express a greater willingness to take alternative methods of transportation and reduce their use of air conditioning; they are less likely to pay more for gasoline. Those between 30 and 44 years of age are more likely to say they would take alternative methods of transportation, learn more about efficient driving habits, reduce their use of air conditioning, and limit their use of gas lawn mowers, leaf blowers or snow blowers. Canadians between 45 and 59 years of age display a greater willingness to choose a more fuel-efficient car, limit their use of small gas-powered engines, and pay higher taxes to support action against air pollution. Older Canadians are much less likely to be involved in activities that might help combat air pollution. In particular, they are less likely to chose a more fuel-efficient car, learn more about efficient driving habits, join or support an environmental group, reduce their use of air conditioning. And limit their use of gas lawn mowers, leaf blowers, or snow blowers. However, they are more inclined to say that they would be very likely to pay higher taxes to support action against air pollution.

There appears to be a relationship between willingness to undertake actions to help combat air pollution and educational attainment. In general, the most educated express a higher level of willingness to participate in a number of these activities. University graduates are more inclined to say that they would be very likely to choose amore fuel-efficient car (68%), limit their use of small gas-powered equipment (51%), reduce the use of air conditioning (41%), pay more for gasoline or other non-renewable fuels (24%), and pay higher taxes to support action against air pollution (21%).

However, it appears that in this instance, affluence does not have the same effect on behaviour that education does. There is no clear pattern or relationship between likelihood of taking action to reduce air pollution and income level. However, there are some differences between the various income groups. The least affluent are the most likely to suggest that they would take alternative methods of transportation (59% very likely), learn more about efficient driving habits (57% very likely), and support or join an environmental group (30% very likely). Those with an annual household income between $30,000 and $50,000 are less likely than other income groups to support or join an environmental group (31% not at all likely) and limit their use of gas lawn mowers, leaf blowers or snow blowers (22% not very or not at all likely) to help combat air pollution. More affluent Canadians are more willing to pay higher taxes to support action against air pollution ($50K-$70K, 55% somewhat or very likely; $70K+, 51% somewhat or very likely). The most affluent are also more likely to be willing to reduce their use of air conditioning (74% somewhat or very likely). While those with an annual household income between $50,000 and $70,000 are more likely to limit their use of small gas-powered engines (78% somewhat or very likely); they are less likely to join or support an environmental group (61% not very or not at all likely).

While Atlantic Canadians are more likely to pay more for gasoline or other non-renewable fuels (53% somewhat or very likely), pay higher taxes to support action against air pollution (53% somewhat or very likely), and support or join an environmental group (51% somewhat or very likely), they are less likely to take alternative methods of transportation to work (24% not very or not at all likely) and reduce their use of air conditioning (30% not at all likely). Quebecers are more likely to choose a more fuel efficient car (72% very likely), take alternative methods of transportation to work (65% very likely), to reduce their use of air conditioning (43% very likely), support or join an environmental group (27% very likely); they are less likely to pay higher taxes to support action against air pollution (65% not very or not at all likely) and limit their use of gas-powered equipment (26% not very or not at all likely) Quebecers appear to have strong and conflicting opinions with respect to paying more for gasoline or other non-renewable fuels to help combat air pollution. Quebecers are simultaneously the most likely of all Canadians to report that they are very likely (23%) and not at all likely (30%) to undertake this activity.

Residents of Ontario (53% somewhat or very likely) are more likely to say that they would pay higher taxes to support action against air pollution. On the other hand, they are less likely than other Canadians to say they would be willing to reduce their use of air conditioning (25% not very or not at all likely). Residents of Manitoba and Saskatchewan are less inclined to pay more for gasoline and other non-renewable fuels (53% not very or not at all likely) and to limit their use of gas-powered equipment (23% not very or not at all likely). While Albertans are more likely to reduce the use of air conditioning (73% somewhat or very likely), they are less likely to support or join an environmental group (67% not very or not alt all likely) and learn more about efficient driving habits (19% not very or not at all likely). British Columbians are also less inclined to say that they would learn more about efficient driving habits (22% not very or not at all likely) to help combat air pollution. Residents o f British Columbia are more likely than others to say that they would limit their use of gas lawn mowers, leaf blowers or snow blowers (80% somewhat or very likely) and support or join an environmental group (52% somewhat or very likely).

With the exception of putting a limit on their use of gas lawn mowers, leaf blowers, or snow blowers, paying more for gasoline, and paying higher taxes to support action against air pollution, francophones are more inclined than anglophones to say they would be very likely to undertake these activities to help combat air pollution.

There are some notable differences between Canadians from different community sizes regarding their willingness to participate in certain activities to reduce air pollution. Canadians from the largest communities are more likely to take alternate methods of transportation to work and reduce their use of air conditioning. While those who live in communities with between 100,000 and one million inhabitants are more likely to reduce their use of air conditioning they are less likely to support or join an environmental group. Canadians from the smallest communities appear to be less willing to undertake many of these activities, most notably, taking alternative methods of transportation to work, choosing a more fuel-efficient car, paying more for gasoline or other non-renewable fuels, and paying higher taxes to support action against air pollution.

Overall, Canadians who are more concerned about air quality, who feel that air pollution affects health a great deal, who feel that air pollution in their community has become worse, and who suffer from respiratory illnesses tend to be more likely to undertake these activities to help combat air pollution. Once again, concern about the possible effects of air pollution on health has an impact on the actions that some Canadians are willing to take to help deal with air pollution.

Not surprisingly, Canadians who strongly agree that individuals can take actions to effectively reduce air pollution are more likely than those who have less confidence in individual actions to say that they would be likely to participate in these activities to reduce air pollution. While only three in ten of those who disagree that individuals can take action to effectively reduce air pollution (29%) report that they are very likely to limit their use of gas lawn mowers, leaf blowers or snow blowers, this proportion increases to one-half among those who strongly agree that individual action can be effective (50%).