Media and the Environment

Americans don’t trust Congress. This is not news. But a Gallup poll in July 2007 put Congress at the bottom of a list ranking public confidence in 16 American institutions. According to the poll, American’s put more trust in big business than they do in our legislature. And we definitely don’t have much love for big business.

That distrust may be part of what is driving younger voters to turn out in record numbers this year. Congressman Dennis Moore (D-KS) is certain the youth vote will be heard in the 2008 elections. “Young people have traditionally been very successful in achieving social change - from the women’s suffrage movement, to Vietnam, to the civil rights movement,” he says. “This year, young people have a unique opportunity to participate in social change in the November elections.”

With the environment ranking among the top 5 issues important to young voters, let’s hope we can add sustainability to that list of social movements. Only time will tell if the current groundswell will continue through to November.  But if it does, we could start seeing our elected officials taking the environment more seriously.

- Jeff