Wisconsin Ag Connection - Study Shows Wisconsin Drivers Have Mixed Views on Ethanol

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Study Shows Wisconsin Drivers Have Mixed Views on Ethanol
Wisconsin Ag Connection - 09/13/2011

We now have a better idea of how people who live in Wisconsin feel about ethanol. The University of Wisconsin-Madison has conducted a survey to gauge consumers' thoughts on the alternative fuel, which shows that most support the use of ethanol blends if it keeps dollars and jobs in the United States and reduces air pollution.

But researchers say that support dropped substantially if those surveyed were told that ethanol could harm their engine or reduce gas mileage. About two-thirds said they would not support ethanol under these conditions. It is generally believed that ethanol will not hurt newer engines, but studies have shown that it will cause minimal reductions in mileage compared to gasoline.

"Understandably, this poll indicates mixed attitudes toward the pros and cons of ethanol," says Bret Shaw, assistant professor of life sciences communication at the UW-Madison and environmental communication specialist for UW-Extension. He says respondents' actual knowledge about ethanol was also mixed.

"While ethanol does, in fact, burn cleaner than gasoline, only 53 percent believed this to be the case, while 41 percent thought the two were about the same and 6 percent believed ethanol burns dirtier that gasoline," Show says.

When asked about ethanol's impact on the environment, 41 percent believed that it causes less damage than gasoline, 15 percent thought ethanol was more damaging and 44 percent believe the two were about the same. There is debate among scientists and industry groups on this question. Although ethanol burns cleaner, detractors argue that its environmental benefits are overstated because demand for crops needed to produce it may accelerate the conversion of forests and other natural, carbon-absorbing ecosystems to farmland.

The survey found considerable doubt about ethanol's economic benefits. Only 43 percent believed domestically produced ethanol increases U.S. jobs, while 46 percent thought it would have no effect and 10 percent believed ethanol use would decrease jobs. Similarly, relatively few respondents thought ethanol would decrease their own fuel costs. Thirty-one percent thought it would boost the price at the pump, 41 percent said that it has no impact and 28 percent believed it lowers pump prices. Ethanol blends are generally thought to decrease fuel prices at the pump for Wisconsin consumers.

Respondents were interviewed in June and July as part of the most recent UW-Madison Badger Poll. Data was collected from 556 persons chosen at random within households with landline telephones. The overall response rate for the survey is 39.6 percent with a 4.2 percent margin of error.

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