With 90.7% of Americans saying the United States is too dependent on foreign oil, it's no surprise that they are open to the idea of oil exploration, according to the June American Pulse Survey of 4,082 respondents. Some 67.1% say “drill away” when asked if they would allow drilling in non-residential oil reserves if it would dramatically decrease the price of fuel.

However, with no fuel price relief in sight, 40.2% of Americans forecast that automakers will end up nixing the production of sport utility vehicles, while close to 20% say the government will step in and regulate them. On the flip side, some (12.2%) see a silver lining and think SUVs will get more popular as price to purchase decreases.

One way consumers are coping with the economic climate is by packing their lunch more often. Over a third of workers (36.7%) say they are doing so since more than a year ago. Beauticians, salons and even domestics may feel the impact as consumers are also deferring luxury services: haircuts (27.5%), hair colour (14.6%), manicures/pedicures (14.2%) and domestics (4.9%).

Other key findings:
• Americans think it will take about three years for the US to rebound financially.
• As a result of the recent tomato scare, over a quarter (27.3%) of Americans will be putting on their gardening hats this summer and growing their own vegetables.
• With the airlines starting to charge for an ever-growing list of services, Americans who travel by air say they are most willing to pay for meals (26.6%), beverages (18.9%) and seat assignment (13.2%).

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Article courtesy BIGresearch.

[2 Jul 2008 08:14]

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