Oblivion: National Survey Reveals More than 70% of Americans Don’t Know Plastic is Made from Oil
April 23rd, 2007The fact that some ADM-related thing purports to have “solutions” to the plastipocalypse just enhances the sense of oblivion that pervades these issues. On the one hand you have knuckle dragging people who will trample each other for bargains at WalMart, and on the other hand, you have ADM with “solutions.”
In other news, 79% of Americans believe in virgin birth, and 55% believe that every word of the Bible is literally accurate.
Have a nice day.
Via: BusinessWire:
According to a nationwide online survey released today, 72 percent of the American public does not know that conventional plastic is made from petroleum products, primarily oil. The survey was conducted by national online market research firm InsightExpress for TellesTM, a joint venture of Metabolix, Inc. (NASDAQ: MBLX), a company using bioscience to provide clean solutions for plastics, fuels and chemicals, and Archer Daniels Midland (NYSE: ADM), one of the world’s largest agricultural processors and the world leader in BioEnergy.
Plastics are everywhere and most Americans have come to rely on plastics in all aspects of their lives. However, very few people realize that plastics are made from oil, further contributing to the problems of energy dependence, greenhouse gas emissions and depleting resources. In fact, nearly 10 percent of U.S. oil consumption – approximately 2 million barrels a day – is used to make plastic.
The survey also revealed a misunderstanding about another important characteristic of traditional plastic – it never goes away. Despite the fact that petroleum-based plastic will never biodegrade, 40 percent of respondents believe that it will biodegrade underground, in home compost, in landfills, or in the ocean. Plastics will not biodegrade in any of these environments. In fact, the only way to rid the planet of existing plastic is by incineration in those cases where it can be recovered.
please see a movie called “Idiocracy”. art imitates life. if nothing else it’s good for a laugh, in that ‘too close to the truth’ sorta way.
[…] cryptogon […]
In 2005, on the 50th anniversary of D-Day, 37 percent of American adults didn’t know which country’s army America was fighting on D-Day.
[…] April 23rd, 2007 at 10:10 am (Social Studies 101) https://cryptogon.com/?p=651 […]
Not to be too picky — I’m sure it was just a typo or quick arithmetic error — but it should be pointed out that 2005 would have been the 60th anniversary of D-Day. I agree that the general level of ignorance is truly frightening, and dangerous.
Idiocracy is a good movie. Hillarious IMHO.
Now as to the statistics. Might be correct in regards to how ignorant people are about plastics/oil connection.
NO WAY IN HELL THAT 55% BELIEVE IN LITERAL BIBLE.
NO freakin’ way. That is smoke and mirrors if I’ve ever heard it. The actual amount of folks in this category is likely somewhat lower than Bush’s approval ratings (and I think it’s closer to 15% MAX).
In other news today it was reported that the polling company doing the research on the Bible is being funded/run out of the basement of Liberty Baptist University.
Enjoy.
Well, as Twain said, “lies, damned lies, and statistics.” You know, the U.S. et. al. aren’t the only ones who can run psychological warfare campaigns. Additionally, don’t you think that They would benefit by spreading beliefs that we’re all a bunch of clueless idiots who need to have our asses wiped?
The only reason people believe anything is because their information sources or so rigidly controlled that they have a hard time getting any information of value. Add to that the aggressive marketing of every type of distraction, all targeted directly at the animal senses, and its a wonder people haven’t degenerated into complete beasts.
I never buy these things. People aren’t “stupid,” they are just so thoroughly, perpetually, and efficiently, and convincingly lied to, while at the same time repeatedly dosed with fear, that they cannot help but barely understand the world around them. Oh, and lets not forget being worked and entertained to death.
Have a little compassion.
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Thanks.
“and 55% believe that every word of the Bible is literally accurate.”
It depends on what you mean by “is”.
The Bible IS literally true, in that the men who wrote it, being products of their time and circumstances, albeit the most learned and honest men of their era, told it as they saw it.
The problem is that American fundamentalist Christians DON’T BELIEVE IN THE CONCEPT OF TIME, as it is understood by science. They believe that time is not linear; that what happened 2000 years ago, is actually occurring right now, that evidence to the contrary can simply be explained as the product of modern science’s ignorance of the true meaning of time. Thus, Christians claim we are in the Church Age, same as Paul and the other New Testament epistle writers “time”, which is to say, the 1st Century AD is happening right now, only on a different plain of existence, or dimension. And “tomorrow”, by their measure of time, will be the Tribulation Age that follows the Rapture.
http://www.leaderu.com/offices/billcraig/docs/realtime.html
Well, I do actually believe the Bible is true and the Word of God, although I don’t accept that it is literal in many cases, i.e., where it employs allegory or symbolism.
I do, however, regard American Fundamentalism as a gross caricature of Biblical Christianity and a horrible perversion of what the Reformers believed in.
PS – “Bush is the Antichrist”? No, I don’t think so. While he is certainly anti-Christian, he’s not THE Antichrist Scripture speaks of.
Right you are, fansma. lol
99% of Americans have no idea that the credit bubble popping will bring the Dow Jones from 13,000 to 3,000 very soon.
http://www.financialsense.com/fsu/editorials/lamont/2007/images/0423.h17.jpg
\\\\twists round just a bit to scratch a biblical itch……..
and points to the shadows on the wall…”look, it’s faster than a speeding bullet, leaping tall minarets in a single bound, it’s..it’s… it’s christ come to save us again!!!!!1111!!
the kingdom of god is within you. and stop thinking that calling me by any name means you have to kill the guy that uses a different one.
have a nice day.
What did I miss in this conversation? Please remind me ?
I can’t speak for Jesus, or the disciples, or the editors who decided who would be included in the ALL HOLY Bible- but where exactly DOES the Bible speak to Plastic BAGS?
I haven’t read the Bible since 1983, but I sure do know there was nothing in there about plastic bags!
Get a grip on yourselves. Are we now going to quote the Bible everytime U.S. persons are shown to be less than adequate in their knowledge banks?
Big Oooops on my part. Kevin started the conversation re 79% per cent of Americans believing in a virgin birth.
That is about equal to the 70 % of those that did not know there was oil used to manufacture plastic bags.
There’s not a lot of percentage difference,
Nuff said. Anymore, I’ll get myself in trouble.