Abstract
Recent droughts in 2012 and 2013 have increased attention to water use issues in the United States. Cities, government agencies, and environmental nonprofit organizations use scientifically-framed messages to advocate for water conservation. In addition, some religious organizations use messages based on religious teachings to promote water conservation. Because approximately 70% of the U.S. public reports some religious affiliation, it is important to investigate the influence of religious and scientific messages for promoting water conservation. I report the results of an experiment that examines how scientifically- and religiously-framed messages influence attitudes about water use restrictions. I found that Christians were no more or less likely to agree with a policy calling for water use restrictions than non-Christians and non-religious people. However, a Christian religious message negatively influenced agreement with water use restrictions in the entire sample—and in a Christian subsample. Results suggest that religiously framed messages may not increase environmental concern.
Highlights
Three percent of all water on earth is fresh water, but two percent is locked in glacial ice.Approximately one percent of water on earth is available for use [1], and over seven billion people need this water to live
The group of studies described earlier emphasizes concern about general environmental problems, whereas this study focuses on water conservation as a more specific subset of environmental concern
Christian religious affiliation is negatively related to agreement with the water use restriction policy which states that municipalities would be required to reduce water use by 50% in times of drought
Summary
Three percent of all water on earth is fresh water, but two percent is locked in glacial ice. Approximately one percent of water on earth is available for use [1], and over seven billion people need this water to live. At the peak of the 2012 drought in the United States, approximately 81% of the. U.S was classified as abnormally dry by the United States Geological Survey, and 67% of the U.S was in a moderate to extreme drought. As of August 2013, conditions had improved but nearly 50% of the. U.S still remained in a moderate to extreme drought [2]. Water policy issues have increased in salience in recent years. Municipal water suppliers in drought-stricken areas in Texas, Nebraska, and Oklahoma continue to impose water use restrictions
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