Immigrant Environmental Behaviors in New York City

Max J. Pfeffer and J. Mayone Stycos

Social Science Quarterly, 2002, vol. 83, issue 1, 64-81

Abstract: Objective. This article compares environmental behaviors of immigrants and the native‐born to answer questions about potential impacts of immigration on the U.S. environment. Methods. We consider immigrant/native‐born differences in the likelihood of engaging in environmentally friendly behavior. With data from a survey of New York City residents, we test two hypotheses regarding environmental behavior: (1) controlling for environmental orientation, environmental knowledge, acculturation, community attachment, and economic status will reduce immigrant/native‐born differences, and (2) controlling for race will increase immigrant/native‐born differences. Results. Our analysis provided no support for the second hypothesis, but there were varied results for the first hypothesis depending on the type of environmental behavior considered. Conclusions. Our findings for New York City show that fears of immigrants being less likely to engage in environmentally friendly behaviors are unfounded. Of greater significance to environmental organizations is the lower level of immigrant involvement in environmentally oriented political behaviors, suggesting that continued immigration will present challenges both in making the environmental movement more ethnically diverse and in maintaining its vitality.

Date: 2002
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