Americans are much less concerned now than they were a generation ago about air pollution and pollution of rivers, lakes and reservoirs. Their concern about polluted drinking water is down slightly, while they are slightly more concerned about global warming or climate change than in the late s and early s. However, on a relative basis, global warming is still of less concern than most of the other problems.
The decline in Americans' willingness to identify themselves as environmentalists is likely a result of many factors, including the politicization of environmental issues and the routine nature of recycling and other simple, environmentally friendly actions people might have once associated with environmentalism. Also, it is possibly because the term is less commonly used or may have taken on a different meaning than in the past.
Gallup's data indicate that much of the drop in identification as an environmentalist occurred from the mids through , with smaller declines since then. The Democratic-Republican gap in identification as an environmentalist did not become large until the late s, suggesting politicization may account for more of the recent change but other factors drove the initial declines in the mids.
The key trend, however, is whether Americans' concern for and commitment to the environment has declined compared with a generation ago, when three-quarters of Americans described themselves as environmentalists. There is some evidence to suggest that it has, with fewer Americans today than in the late s and early s giving "pro-environment" responses to a variety of Gallup questions.
But the declines are not evident on all items asked in the two time periods, and on those for which concern has declined, the changes are much less dramatic than for the drop in identification as environmentalists.
Thus, while dwindling identification of the public as environmentalists may not be a welcome development for supporters of the environmental movement, it may not reflect a substantial weakening of the movement and its ability to achieve its objectives.
Historical data are available in Gallup Analytics. Results for this Gallup poll are based on telephone interviews conducted March , , with a random sample of 1, adults, aged 18 and older, living in all 50 U. All reported margins of sampling error include computed design effects for weighting. Landline and cellular telephone numbers are selected using random-digit-dial methods. All reported margins of sampling error include computed design effects for weighting.
Landline and cellular telephone numbers are selected using random-digit-dial methods. Search, examine, compare and export nearly a century of primary data.
Subscribe to the Gallup News brief and real time alerts. Stay up to date with our latest insights. Americans continue to express the most dire concerns about water pollution, out of six environmental threats. Americans have maintained relatively high concern about global warming over the past six years, along with the belief that it is caused by human activity.
Gallup will be releasing a series of articles throughout April concerning Americans' views on environmental topics. Notice: JavaScript is not enabled. Please Enable JavaScript Safely. Story Highlights Roughly four in 10 U. Survey Methods. Sign Up. Global Warming Attitudes Frozen Since Already a print subscriber? Go here to link your subscription. Need help? Visit our Help Center. Go here to connect your wallet.
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