Most Americans report concern for the environment; one-in-five try to act on that concern all the time % of U.S. adults who say that they are about helping the environment as they go about their daily lives they % of U.S. adults who say they make an effortto live in ways that thelp
Three-quarters of Americans are concerned about the environment, but fewer say they make an effort to live out that concern all the time. Among U.S. adults, 75% say they are particularly concerned about helping the environment as they go about their daily lives, according to a 2016 Pew Research Center survey. But only one-in-five Americans say they make an effort to live in ways that help protect the environment “all the time.” Those ages 65 and older are three times as likely as those ages 18 to 29 to say they make this effort all the time (36% vs. 12%).
Overall, 32% of U.S. adults say they are bothered a lot by people throwing away things that could be recycled. Roughly six-in-ten Americans (61%) who say they always try to live in ways that protect the environment say it bothers them “a lot” when others throw away things that could be recycled. Among those who are less focused on environmental protection, only a quarter say it bothers them a lot when others don’t recycle. People who are environmentally conscious are also twice as likely as others to say that seeing someone incorrectly putting trash in recycling bins bothers them a lot (42% vs. 21%).
Most Americans report concern for the environment;  | one-in-five try to act on that concern all the time  | % of U.S. adults who say that they are about helping the environment  | as they go about their daily lives they  | Particularly  | Not particularly  | concerned  | concerned  | 75%  | 24%  | % of U.S. adults who say they make an effortto live in ways that thelp  | protect the environment  | Not too Not  | All of the time  | Some of the time  | often  | at all  | 20  | 63  | 13  | Note: Respondents who did not give an answerare 2016. notshown.  | Source: Respondents Survey conducted May not 10-June give an answerare 6, 2016.  | PEW RESEARCH CENTER 