Westerners Care About Conservation — The Results Are In!

by Michelle Poolet

The most recent Conservation in the West poll, conducted by the Western Resource Advocates, shows that westerners really care about clean air, clean water, and access to their open spaces.

Arizona Loves Its Water 
Arizona may be a desert state, but the polls show the Arizonans care deeply about water. 89% of people in Arizona say that the low levels of water in rivers is a serious problem … 

Colorado Loves Its Outdoor Lifestyle 
Coloradans love their state and truly value their clean environment and outdoor lifestyle, with public land access trumping even economic opportunities for the greatest draw. Above all other states, Coloradans were the most in favor of politicians promoting greater renewable energy usage and protecting public lands … 

New Mexico Loves Its Public Lands 
New Mexicans love their public lands and they are the state with the highest percentage of people likely to reject the sale of public land to reduce the federal budget deficit … 

Utah Worries About Its Air Quality 
Residents of Utah love their close access to public lands and low cost of living, but worry about their water supplies and air quality… More than any other Western state, people of Utah felt that air pollution or smog was a problem, with two-thirds saying it is a very serious problem. 

Wyoming Loves Its Access to Public Lands 
Wyoming residents love where they are and more residents say access to public lands is a reason to live and stay where they do more than economic opportunities, taxes or cost of living. 97% of Wyoming residents polled said they visited public lands in the past year, with 43% saying they had been more than twenty times! 

You can read the full article at: Western Resource Advocates

Western Resource Advocates (WRA) is a regional non-profit conservation organization headquartered in Boulder, Colorado with programs and staff from Idaho to Arizona. Their mission is to protect the West’s land, air, and water. Their toolbox includes law, science, economics, advocacy, education, and action.