BEALLSVILLE — The results of an opinion poll, dubbed a “Bean Poll” because opinions were expressed by placing dried beans in jars, seem to show Ohio Valley residents are somewhat united in their views about the possibility of achieving peace.

Beyond checking the pulse of area citizens, the purposes of these opinion polls are to stimulate thinking and discussion about government and public affairs, and to promote awareness that contributes to intelligent voting and good citizenship.

The “bean poll” was conducted at the Earth Day Block Party on April 22 by Ohio Valley PEACE.

The event was sponsored by Ohio County Solid Waste Authority, Grow Ohio Valley and West Virginia Northern Community College. While visitors were invited randomly to participate, those doing so volunteered.

The results of these informal polls do give an indication of the sentiment of folks in this area, though a scientifically designed poll might produce more accurate numbers.

The opinion poll consisted of six questions, each attached to a pair of Mason jars. Participants chose a response by dropping a dried bean in one of the jars.

The poll titled “Is Peace Possible?” consisted of the following six questions with the response percentages:

1. Can true peace exist among nations in a world afraid of nuclear war? (40% yes, 60% no)

2. Does peace come only as a response to fear? (3% yes, 97% no)

3. Is sustained peace actually possible between individuals or nations? (89% yes, 11% no)

4. Can we cultivate peace with compassion and love? (97% yes, 3% no)

5. Will working on shared problems, like climate change, lead to peace? (80% yes, 20% no)

6. Can viewing issues from the others’ point of view help lead to peace? (94% yes, 6% no)