Submitted by EnergyTechStocks.com

No matter how strongly the U.S. presidential candidates support creation of a carbon trading system, investors should be wary of a new Gallup Poll showing that only about a third of Americans say they are seriously concerned about global warming. With billions, if not trillions, of dollars waiting to be made as soon as America joins Europe and Japan in a global carbon trading market, knowing when Americans will be genuinely ready to save the planet could be worth an awful lot of money to investors, who should be able to use that information to get a jump on initiating or adding to their positions in companies on the front lines of raising energy efficiency and developing clean energy technologies.

Fortunately, there may to be a simple test to determine when Americans are becoming truly committed to fighting global warming. Though it may seem kind of silly, “The Clothes Line Test,” as EnergyTechStocks.com has dubbed it, could be investors’ secret to hitting the “carbon jackpot.”

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The Clothes Line Test refers to a movement underway in the U.S. to turn back the clock and start drying clothes on outdoor lines, thereby conserving electricity and reducing greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) from fossil-fueled power plants. This seemingly simple affirmation of one’s desire to do something to protect the planet has run into big opposition especially in communities where housing associations make the rules. Some 60 million Americans reportedly live in association-run communities, and in a growing number of them eco-conscious homeowners are battling appearance-conscious associations over the right to dry the family underwear where all the world can see.

At the risk of offending American readers, this battle should be viewed as a reflection of the selfishness of many Americans to make even small sacrifices for the common good. Until the tide changes, carbon trading won’t take root in the U.S. – even if there’s a mechanism in place – because the changes and sacrifices it will impose on individuals and corporations will be rebuffed.

The tide may be starting to change. Reports continue to surface of acts of defiance by individual homeowners, including one by an elderly lady residing in an assisted living community. State legislatures are now being asked to pass laws that supercede associations’ rules. While Americans haven’t yet passed the Clothes Line Test, they may before long.

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