In October, roughly 21,000 Iowans will receive a survey in the mail asking them about their "energy awareness." The 50,000 dollar project is being financed by the Iowa Power Fund . Ron Padavich is with the University of Northern Iowa’s Strategic Marketing Services, which is administering the first ever Iowa Energy Poll.
"We want to know how knowledgeable and concerned people are about these issues," Padavich said. "Knowledge and concern drive behavior and we want to compare and analyze…what types of things might change their behaviors." Padavich says the survey covers a wide variety of topics.
"All the way from transportation – ethanol, biodiesel, hydrogen fuel and electric vehicles – to nuclear energy," Padavich said. "We’re also going to (ask) about global warming and the impact people think it has on the state of Iowa and how that’s driving their behavior." Results of the survey could end up being useful for educators, business owners and home owners.
But, Padavich says the findings will primarily help state officials chart a course for action."When they’re presented with ideas and concepts from other people that want funding to do certain types of things, they can go look at this data and see whether or not those types of projects stand much of a chance of being successful or if they’re feasible," Padavich said. He’s encouraging everyone who receives a survey to take a few minutes, fill it out and send it back.
"Because I think it really will have a tremendous impact on Iowa’s ability to become energy independent," Padavich said. "This is an opportunity for people to do their part to help us understand the situation better and make things more compatible with what the population in Iowa is really interested in doing."