Eighty-nine percent of residents asked believe Austin will be affected by climate change, according to a first-ever global warming survey commissioned by the City of Austin.

The survey, conducted by Creative Consumer Research of Stafford, Texas, gathered input from 400 residents early this year. It has a margin of error of plus or minus 5 percent.

It found most residents believe individuals have the highest responsibility for lessening the impact of climate change and that business and industry have the second-highest responsibility.

But most of those surveyed also said the City of Austin should establish new laws and building codes to protect the environment.

“There are many things that individuals can do that cost no money or very little money, such as getting free programmable thermostats from Austin Energy or buying compact fluorescent light bulbs,” said Ester Matthews, Director of the Austin Climate Protection Plan, in a news release. “We obviously have more work to do to increase awareness.”

The survey also found that Austin residents tried to lessen their environmental impact by combining trips and errands, reducing the amount of garbage they create, reusing bottles and containers, changing home air conditioning filters and making sure their automobile tires are properly inflated and using recycled paper products.

Fewer people drive hybrid cars, install solar panels, use rain barrels and electric mowers and buy tankless water heaters.

“This survey is important to help us determine which measures are the most effective in helping to reduce Austin’s carbon footprint and also to determine what is the best way to get this information out to residents,” Matthews said.

The city adopted the Austin Climate Protection Plan in 2007 with the goal of making Austin a leading city in the fight against global warming.