Poll: Gays, lesbians more likely to go green at ballot box

By Ben Geman - 

Gays and lesbians are more likely than heterosexuals to prioritize environmental issues at the ballot box — and when deciding which products to buy, according to a new poll.

The Harris Interactive poll conducted online in November found that 45 percent of lesbian, gay, bisexual and/or transgender (LGBT) adults say environmental issues are “extremely” or “very” important when they vote for candidates, compared to 27 percent for heterosexual respondents.

But green issues appear to be losing cachet at the ballot box for both groups — the percentages in the same poll conducted in 2009 in response to the question were 48 and 35, respectively.
Other results show that more broadly, LGBT adults are more likely to call themselves green.

“A majority (55%) of all LGBT adults, when asked if they ‘personally care a great deal about the current state and future of the environment,’ say this statement describes themselves completely or very well — a description that characterizes just one-third (33%) of heterosexual American adults,” states a summary of the findings.

Elsewhere, 48 percent of LGBT adults called the environment extremely or very important when making purchasing decisions, compared to 25 percent of heterosexuals, while 25 percent of LGBT respondents environmental issues are key when making decisions about which companies to work for, compared to 17 percent of heterosexuals.

Harris conducted the poll with Witeck-Combs Communications, Inc., a PR and marketing company that specializes in the LGBT market. The poll surveyed 2,352 adults, of whom 347 self-indentified as LGBT, the companies said.

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