2024 Great Lakes Regional Poll - Media Toolkit

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Click on the links below to view, download or link to a variety of animations and infographics that communicate select results of the IJC Great Lakes Water Quality Board’s 2024 Great Lakes Regional Poll. You may copy and paste the key messages to post along with the graphics of your choice on social media, or adapt them to include in your own resources, presentations and more. When using these graphics please use the #GreatLakesH2OpinionPoll hashtag and tag the IJC on social media @ijcsharedwaters or otherwise credit the "IJC Great Lakes Water Quality Board 2024 Great Lakes Regional Poll."

Click to jump to infographics on: importance of protection , water quality status and trends, climate change, fish and wildlife, drinking water, views of First Nations, Métis and Tribal Nation members, the role of individuals, the role of governments, and views on well-being and the region's future.

Importance of Great Lakes Protection

Fundamental agreement on funding: @ijcsharedwaters Water Quality Board 2024 #GreatLakesH2OpinionPoll found 96% of respondents think it is important (19%) or very important (77%) for governments to invest in #GreatLakes protection. Report: ijc.org/wqb/2024-great-lakes-poll

Across the region, an overwhelming majority strongly agree: 94% of #GreatLakesH2OpinionPoll respondents feel it is important that the health and water quality of the #GreatLakes basin be protected. Read the 2024 @ijcsharedwaters Water Quality Board report: ijc.org/wqb/2024-great-lakes-poll

Healthy ecosystem, healthy economy: 4 in 5 #GreatLakesH2OpinionPoll respondents agree the region's economy will suffer if the #GreatLakes are not healthy. Learn more from the @ijcsharedwaters Water Quality Board's 2024 poll report: ijc.org/wqb/2024-great-lakes-poll

 

Water Quality Status and Trends

Views on the health and water quality of the overall #GreatLakes are evenly split between beliefs the lakes' health is good, fair or poor, according to @ijcsharedwaters #GreatLakes Water Quality Board 2024 #GreatLakesH2OpinionPoll. Report: ijc.org/wqb/2024-great-lakes-poll

2024 #GreatLakesH2OpinionPoll respondents said #LakeSuperior's water quality is good (76%) and not changing (45%) or improving (29%), and feel it's safe for swimming, drinking and fishing. Via @ijcsharedwaters #GreatLakes Water Quality Board: ijc.org/wqb/2024-great-lakes-poll

#LakeHuron health: poll respondents said Huron's water quality is good (75%) and not changing (50%), and most say it's safe for swimming, drinking and fishing. Via @ijcsharedwaters #GreatLakes Water Quality Board 2024 #GreatLakesH2OpinionPoll: ijc.org/wqb/2024-great-lakes-poll

2024 #GreatLakesH2OpinionPoll respondents near #LakeMichigan have mixed views on the lake's water quality and safety for swimming, drinking and fish consumption. Via @ijcsharedwaters #GreatLakes Water Quality Board report: ijc.org/wqb/2024-great-lakes-poll

Of the 2024 #GreatLakesH2OpinionPoll respondents near #LakeErie, 4 in 5 think the lake's water quality is poor and declining, and think it is not safe to swim in, drink or fish from. Via @ijcsharedwaters #GreatLakesWater Quality Board report: ijc.org/wqb/2024-great-lakes-poll

2024 #GreatLakesH2OpinionPoll respondents were split on views that #LakeOntario health is good, fair or poor and perceived safety to swim in, drink and fish from the lake. Via @ijcsharedwaters #GreatLakes Water Quality Board report: ijc.org/wqb/2024-great-lakes-poll

 

Climate Change

Under pressure: 9 in 10 #GreatLakesH2OpinionPoll respondents agree that global #climatechange will increase pressure on the #GreatLakes, according to @ijcsharedwaters #GreatLakes Water Quality Board poll report: ijc.org/wqb/2024-great-lakes-poll

4 in 5 #GreatLakesH2OpinionPoll respondents are concerned that #climatechange will impact water quality (83%), community well-being (81%) and water quantity (77%), according to @ijcsharedwaters #GreatLakes Water Quality Board poll report: ijc.org/wqb/2024-great-lakes-poll

 

Fish and Wildlife

All our relations: more than 4 in 5 (85%) #GreatLakesH2OpinionPoll respondents agree #GreatLakes water quality should be protected for the benefit of fish and wildlife, according to @ijcsharedwaters #GreatLakes Water Quality Board 2024 poll report: ijc.org/wqb/2024-great-lakes-poll

Invasive species the top concern for all #GreatLakes and more than 4 in 5 (86%) #GreatLakesH2OpinionPoll respondents feel that invasive species have a negative impact on the lakes' health. Via @ijcsharedwaters #GreatLakes Water Quality Board 2024 report: ijc.org/wqb/2024-great-lakes-poll

 

Drinking Water

The majority of Canadian (72%) #GreatLakes residents responding to the 2024 #GreatLakesH2OpinionPoll said they trust the source of their drinking water, while fewer US respondents agreed (53%) and a quarter (25%) disagreed. Report: ijc.org/wqb/2024-great-lakes-poll

About 2 in 5 #GreatLakesH2OpinionPoll respondents would pay $10 or more on their monthly water bill to improve #GreatLakes water quality to a level that is 'very safe' for fishing, swimming and drinking. @ijcsharedwaters #GreatLakes Water Quality Board 2024 report: ijc.org/wqb/2024-great-lakes-poll

 

Views of First Nations, Métis and Tribal Nation Members

More than half of 2024 #GreatLakesH2OpinionPoll #GreatLakes respondents identifying as First Nations (60%), Métis (75%) and Tribal Nations (57%) said threats to #GreatLakes water quality gave them concern about fish or wildlife species of cultural importance. Report: ijc.org/wqb/2024-great-lakes-poll

Of #GreatLakesH2OpinionPoll respondents, nearly half of 🇺🇸 Tribes and 🇨🇦 Métis feel it is not safe to eat fish from their nearest #GreatLake, while nearly half of 🇨🇦 First Nations said they think fish from their nearest lake is safe to eat. Report: ijc.org/wqb/2024-great-lakes-poll

 

Role of Individuals

Individuals are pivotal to #GreatLakes protection: 4 in 5 (84%) of #GreatLakesH2OpinionPoll respondents think the role of the individual is important to protect #GreatLakes water quality, according to @ijcsharedwaters Water Quality Board 2024 poll report: ijc.org/wqb/2024-great-lakes-poll

Actions to protect #GreatLakes: respondents preferred at-home actions like conserving water (80%), reducing plastic use (78%). Almost half would do water quality sampling (47%) or sign a petition (45%). Complete 2024 #GreatLakesH2OpinionPoll results at: ijc.org/wqb/2024-great-lakes-poll

 

Role of Governments

The majority of #GreatLakesH2OpinionPoll respondents said it should be the state/provincial (75%), federal (73%) and local (62%) government’s responsibility to protect #GreatLakes health, according to @ijcsharedwaters Water Quality Board 2024 poll report: ijc.org/wqb/2024-great-lakes-poll

Is your town serious about #GreatLakes protection? 4 in 5 #GreatLakesH2OpinionPoll Canadian (40%) and US (44%) respondents agree their municipality takes its responsibility to protect the lakes seriously, per @ijcsharedwaters Water Quality Board report: ijc.org/wqb/2024-great-lakes-poll

 

Views on Well-being and the Region's Future

An overwhelming majority of 2024 #GreatLakesH2OpinionPoll respondents think interaction with the #GreatLakes water and nature provides benefits for happiness, life satisfaction, mental health, and overall wellbeing, per @ijcsharedwaters Water Quality Board report: ijc.org/wqb/2024-great-lakes-poll

Guarded optimism: when thinking ahead to 2040, 1 in 3 #GreatLakesH2OpinionPoll respondents think the #GreatLakes region will be sustainable and prosperous, while 2 in 3 foresee increasing pollution and conflict, per @ijcsharedwaters Water Quality Board ijc.org/wqb/2024-great-lakes-poll