The James W. Prothro Student Paper Competition, sponsored by The Odum Institute for Research in Social Science at UNC-Chapel Hill in partnership with the Southern Association for Public Opinion Research (SAPOR) conference, recognizes outstanding student research in public opinion and survey methodology. Named in honor of Dr. James W. Prothro, an esteemed political scientist and former Odum Institute director, the competition awards a $250 prize to the best student paper.
We are pleased to announce that Todd Lu has been selected as this year’s winner for their paper, Reassessing the Economy–Environment Tradeoff: Do Industry Sectors, Green Job Opportunities, and Regulatory Threats Affect Environmental Concerns? A Ph.D. candidate at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Todd’s research examines how industry-based economic contexts shape environmental concerns. Using cross-sectional data from the U.S. General Social Survey and federal administrative sources, their study explores the impact of industry employment, green job opportunities, and regulatory threats on environmental attitudes. The findings reveal that individuals working in resource extraction, construction, and manufacturing industries tend to express lower environmental concern, whereas those in green jobs and regulated industries are more willing to take action for environmental protection. The study underscores the significant role industry context plays in shaping environmental perspectives.
Congratulations to Todd Lu on this well-deserved recognition!
Paper Abstract
Economic effects on environmental concerns assess macroeconomic pressures or microeconomic status differences but overlook environmental and labor scholarly attention to industry contexts. I test whether employed industry, green jobs opportunities, and regulatory threats influence five environmental concern indexes using cross-sectional US General Social Surveys from 2000, 2010, and 2021 and federal administrative data. Findings indicate individuals employed in resource extraction, construction, and manufacturing express less environmental concerns than service sector individuals but vary across dimensions. Resource extraction individuals express less concern for environmental protections and pollution harms. Manufacturing, construction and utilities individuals are less willing to sacrifice for the environment. Green jobs sub-industry employment is positively associated with more willingness to sacrifice and empowerment to act for the environment. Surprisingly, employment in Environmental Protection Agency regulated sub-industries is positively associated with more willingness to sacrifice for the environment. The findings underscore future research on how industry-based economic contexts shape environmental concerns.