Ecological Assimilation: Race, Ethnicity, and the Inverted Gap of Environmental Concern

Utilizing data from the 2010 General Social Survey, three theoretical perspectives are used to explain differing levels of environmental concern and sustainable practices among native- and foreign-born race and ethnic groups in the United States. The most prominent pattern resulting from the analysis is that of ecological assimilation among the Mexican-origin population, with the foreign-born portion of this group being much more likely than their native-born counterparts or whites to both engage in sustainable practices and express a willingness to make sacrifices for the sake of the environment. There is evidence for a concern gap between African Americans and whites in the responses to questions tied to economic progress and standard of living reductions, though the inverted concern gap implied by the environmental justice literature is also apparent in responses to questions about perceived environmental risks where the majority of non-whites in the survey showed higher levels of concern than whites.