Beyond Words

• Date: 01 June 2016

6-2016 NEWS & ANALYSIS 46 ELR 10453

BEYOND WORDS

Each month, ELR publishes a graphic that depicts an environmental law or policy theme or topic. Please send suggested

submissions to austin@eli.org.

Source: GALLUP, Americans’ Identication as “Environmentalists” Down to 42% (Apr. 22, 2016), http://www.gallup.com/

poll/190916/americans-identication-environmentalists-down.aspx.

Americans’ Self-Identif‌ication as “an Environmentalist”

Do you consider yourself an environmentalist or not?

Americans’ Self-Identif‌ication as “an Environmentalist,” by Political Party

Do you consider yourself an environmentalist or not?

Figures indicate % Yes

1989 1992 1995 1998 20 01 2004 2007 2010 2013 2016

76

73

47 42

50

63

78

% Yes

1989 1991 1995 1995 1997 1999 2001 2003 2005 20 07 2009 2011 2013 2015

77

72 56

54

64

78

Democrats

39

27

39

78

77

59

74

46

Independents Re publicans

Note: Lab els for independent s’ percentages in 1989-1999 not shown

Changes in Americans’ Concern About Environmental Problems

Percentage worried “a great deal” about each problem

1989-1990

%

2016

%

Change

pct. pts.

Pollution of river s, lakes, and reservoirs 68 56 -12

Pollution of drink ing water 65 61 -4

Air pollution 61 43 -18

The loss of tropic al rain forests 41 39 -2

Global warm ing/Clim ate change 33 37 +4

Data are an average of 1989 and 1990 polls for a ll items except for pollution of drinking

water, which was asked only in 1990

Copyright © 2016 Environmental Law Institute®, Washington, DC. Reprinted with permission from ELR®, http://www.eli.org, 1-800-433-5120.