Women Are the Energy Decision Makers and Want the U.S. to Move Toward Clean Energy

June 17, 2009, Washington, DC. While Congress is contemplating a new energy policy, American women are paying the electric bills at home and making the critical decisions on energy use in their homes and businesses, according to the national Women’s Survey on Energy & the Environment, the first in-depth women’s survey on attitudes and awareness about energy. The survey also shows that women business owners in particular understand the importance of clean energy and are committed to getting the country running on clean energy sources such as solar, wind, and nuclear.

The survey, commissioned by Women Impacting Public Policy (WIPP) in collaboration with the Women’s Council on Energy and the Environment (WCEE), shows that women want the country to move toward clean energy sources, and more than half (57 percent) are even willing to pay $30 more per month for it. Yet they don’t completely understand the electricity sources we use today, the impact of electricity on clean air and what is causing global warming. Women business owners also emerged as opinion leaders on energy and electricity, and they are more informed than women about the issues who do not own businesses. They are strong supporters of moving the country towards clean energy, and a large majority have already taken steps to make their businesses more environmentally responsible.

METHODOLOGY

Greenberg Quinlan Rosner conducted a national telephone survey of 801 women 18 years or older, and a national web survey of 455 women business owners. The surveys were conducted between May 14 and 18, 2009. The margin of error or women 18 years and older is plus or minus 3.5 percent. The survey was commissioned by Women Impacting Public Policy (WIPP) in collaboration with Women's Council on Energy and the Environment (WCEE), and was underwritten through an educational grant by Entergy Nuclear.

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Press Release (women age 18+)
Press Release (women business owners)
Fact Sheet