Nimbyism vs. environmentalism in attitudes toward energy development

Nimbyism (‘Not in My Backyard’ opinions) and environmentalism are distinct concepts, but are easily confounded in practice. Do people object to proposed developments because they are environmentalists or because the developments are too close to where they live? This question is addressed using data from two public opinion surveys of Californians regarding their attitudes toward oil drilling. Our surveys allow examination of both environmentalism and Nimby effects among people who live within view of offshore oil platforms, among people who live in the same region, and among people who live quite far away. We find strong evidence that environmentalism influences attitudes, but no evidence of nimbyism – despite the fact that many respondents live in an area that is reputed to be a centre of anti-oil, Nimby behaviour. This suggests that nimbyism might be a pattern of political activism, rather than of public opinion.