Thursday, June 7, 2012

As summer beckons, it seems Americans are thinking more about the stifling cost of energy than about making tracks to the beach.

An AP-NORC Center poll has found that cutting energy bills and use is a bigger deal than taking a vacation or scoring the latest smartphone or tablet for most people. Not even 1 in 5 ranked a summer trip or the latest gadget as a high priority.

There are limits, though, on what people are willing to sacrifice for a more energy-efficient life.

Nearly 9 in 10 people said they had taken some action in the last year to save energy by doing small things like turning off the lights.