U.S. — A Pew Research Center survey conducted from March 16 to 22, 2026, found that nearly all Americans engage in at least one environmentally friendly behavior, with saving money emerging as a key motivator for many of these actions. The survey included 3,524 U.S. adults who are members of the Center’s American Trends Panel.
Ninety-five percent of Americans say they regularly turn off the lights when no one is home, making it the most common behavior measured. Fifty-five percent report regularly limiting their home water use, and two-thirds say they recycle. Forty-eight percent of adults say they regularly buy clothes or other goods secondhand, while 38% say they routinely carpool or limit their driving.
Financial savings drive many of these behaviors. Among those who turn off lights when rooms are unoccupied, 78% say they do so to save money. Similarly, 76% of those who buy secondhand goods cite cost savings as a major reason. In contrast, no more than around 40% of Americans say they engage in these specific behaviors—carpooling, turning off lights, or buying secondhand clothes—primarily to help the environment.
Environmental concern plays a stronger role in recycling and water conservation. Seventy-six percent of those who recycle say a major reason they do it is because it helps the environment, and 51% of those who limit home water use say the same. Recycling is also shaped by convenience and local rules: 54% of recyclers say they do it because it is easy, and about 20% say it is required where they live. The survey did not ask whether saving money motivates recycling, noting that most recycling does not save or earn money.
Overall, the findings indicate that while environmentally friendly behaviors are widespread among U.S. adults, the reasons for engaging in them vary by activity. Economic incentives appear to outweigh environmental concerns for energy- and cost-saving actions, whereas ecological motives are more prominent for behaviors like recycling and water conservation.