Extreme weather is nearly universal experience: AP-NORC poll

An overwhelming majority of people in the United States say they have recently experienced an extreme weather event, a new poll shows, and most of them attribute that to climate change, according to AP-NORC poll

An overwhelming majority of people in the United States say they have recently experienced an extreme weather event, a new poll shows, and most of them attribute that to climate change.

But even as many across the country mark Earth Day on April 22, the poll shows relatively few say they feel motivated when they talk about the issue.

The findings from The Associated Press-NORC Centre for Public Affairs Research poll echo growing evidence that many individuals question their own role in combating climate change. Still, the poll suggests people are paying attention.

About half of U.S. adults say they have grown more concerned about the changing climate in the past year, and a growing number say they are talking about it.

Adriana Moreno said she feels like she's been talking about climate change for years, but it's only recently that the 22-year-old high school teacher has noticed her older family members bringing up the issue more and more – “almost every time I see them,” said Moreno, a Democrat in New York.

Her family on the East Coast talks about how the seasons have changed while her family in El Salvador talks about how poorly some crops on their farm are faring. After years of hearing about Moreno's own interest in the issue, her parents have themselves become more interested.

It's not that they didn't believe in climate change before, Moreno said, but it was “out of sight, out of mind.” Overall, about 8 in 10 US adults say that in the past five years they have personally felt the effects of extreme weather, such as extreme heat or drought, according to the poll.