Global warming votes.

With the popularity of An Inconvenient Truth and the news that 2006 was one of the warmest years on record, climate change is likely to be one of the major issues in the 2008 presidential debates (see "Warm Planet, Cool Ideas," feature, July/August 2006). In October of last year, a study commissioned by the Earth Day Network found that more than 50 percent of Americans are extremely concerned about global warming and its effects on their lives and are siding with candidates who actively address the issue. Although higher fuel-efficiency standards top the list of global warming solutions for most voters (Democrats, 71 percent; Republicans, 49 percent; independents, 65 percent), the poll reveals that Democrats favor taxing oil companies and worry primarily about global warming's effects on their children's future and public health and safety. Republicans care about its effect on the economy and independents mostly side with Democrats. One of every two Democrat or independent voters would change their personal habits in order to solve global warming, compared to just one in three Republicans. All members of each party, however, agree that purchasing energy-efficient products and services is the best way to help reduce global warming. CONTACT: Earth Day Network, [phone], www.earthday.net.