Environmental Perspectives of Blacks: Acceptance of the “New Environmental Paradigm”

Abstract

Previous studies have shown blacks to be less supportive of environmental issues than whites. These findings could be interpreted to mean that blacks are anti-environment. However, an attitudinal survey of 603 southern, urban blacks revealed moderate support for a pro-environment perspective (NEP) by blacks. The results also indicated that level of education had a significant relationship with these environmental perspectives, although age and income did not. The present findings were compared with those of earlier studies of primarily white respondents. Both similarities and differences were noted. The comparison led to the conclusion that blacks are just as concerned as whites about environmental issues; they differ only on some specific points.