What will you do to save energy?

Utahns talk the talk when it comes to supporting alternatives to traditional fossil fuels. But do they walk the walk?

Not always.

In answering a series of poll questions for the Deseret Morning News and KSL-TV, residents throughout the state say they consider global warming a reality — and think humans are causing it. They overwhelmingly back Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. for signing a regional accord to limit greenhouse gases that are blamed for the phenomenon. They strongly support government incentives to develop alternative energy sources that would not emit as many greenhouse gases, including solar, nuclear, wind and other sources of power.

But when asked how much they would be willing to sacrifice personally for the cause, their answers fall short of what experts and observers say is needed in most cases. The exception is nuclear generation, which may not need as much money to develop because it is an established technology.

A Dan Jones & Associates survey, carried out June 26-28 throughout Utah for the Morning News and KSL-TV, shows residents are willing to take some steps to slow the release of greenhouse gases.

They are willing to switch to bio-diesel or natural gas fuel for their vehicles or they already have done so (51 percent favor such a move, while 42 percent say such it is very or somewhat unlikely). They are enthusiastic about low-energy light bulbs, with 43 percent saying they already do it and 48 percent are very likely or somewhat likely to do it as opposed to only 7 percent who are somewhat or very unlikely to switch.

Asked if they'd turn down the thermostat in the winter and up in the summer so their homes use less energy, 90 percent were affirmative, while 7 percent said they were either somewhat or very unlikely to do so.

They are not likely to buy energy credits to conserve energy, with 46 percent opposed to that concept while 40 percent favor it.

No fewer than 55 percent said they would buy a smaller car or already have one; 43 percent are not very interested in doing so. Would they buy a hybrid car? Probably, or they already have, said 45 percent; 51 percent said they are not likely to do that.

How much more per gallon of fuel would Utahns be willing to pay to help find alternative ways to reduce vehicle emissions? The most common answer was nothing, at 46 percent. Next came 1 to 10 cents, which was the reply of 32 percent of those surveyed. Nine percent would fork over 11 to 20 cents more, 4 percent were willing to see gasoline prices rise by 21 to 30 cents and only 5 percent said they would pay more than an additional 30 cents a gallon.