Updated Environment Data for Earth Day 50th Anniversary

As the world marks the 50th anniversary of Earth Day on April 22, Gallup is releasing its latest trend data about the environmental movement and Americans’ efforts to support it. Views of Environmental Movement — Nearly two-thirds of Americans say the environmental movement in the U.S. has definitely (20%) or probably (45%) done more good than harm. Conversely, one-third think it has probably (25%) or definitely (8%) done more harm than good. The combined percentage who think it has done more good than harm is down from 76% in Gallup’s first measurement, from 1992. Support for Environmental Movement — 18% of Americans characterize themselves as active participants in the environmental movement and 44% say they are sympathetic to the movement but not active, while 30% are neutral toward the movement and 7% unsympathetic. Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents are much more likely than Republicans and Republican-leaning independents to say they are active participants (24% vs. 14%, respectively) or sympathetic to the movement (57% vs. 30%). When Gallup first asked this question in 2000, 16% described themselves as active participants and 55% as sympathizers. Efforts to Support Environmental Movement — Among a list of 15 actions that Americans can take to help the environment, majorities report that they have done seven of them in the past year. Voluntarily recycling (86%) tops the list. The least common actions are contacting a business to complain that its products are harmful to the environment (10%) and investing based on the environmental record of companies (8%). SOURCE: Megan Brenan, Gallup