5 Things Conservatives and Liberals Both Want for the Environment

When most people think of the environment, they think of rivers, oceans, mountains, forests, prairies, and the nature in their own backyard. For some reason, though, politicians think of a culture war. 

In the heart of America, there’s still a unified love of the environment and a growing, unified demand for leadership. The reality is that DC is out of touch with the American people on an issue that matters to nearly everyone. A whopping 81% of Americans say they’re worried about the environment, and the lowest percentage in history (35%) think our environment is heading in the right direction. Polarizing politics, the growing inability of leaders to work together, and a fragmented environmental movement are to blame. 

Thankfully, this Earth Day, there’s immense hope that we can reclaim the nonpartisan American conservation legacy we once had. It’s up to us to put aside our (real) differences on other issues — because the future of our country’s environment is absolutely worth it. 

Here are five of the top environmental areas where Americans agree:

1. We want abundant, healthy wildlife and ecosystems.

The vast majority of Americans (87%) support restoring and preserving wildlife habitat and migration corridors. Modern techniques like virtual fencing have made corridors better than ever, letting private landowners, public land stewards, and wildlife managers benefit at the same time. The Endangered Species Act has broad support too, though most Americans want to see it updated and strengthened, and for good reason. The Act has only fully recovered about 3% of listed species in 50 years. On top of that, a growing invasive species crisis has quietly cost the country over $1 trillion since 1960, another area with mass support for action.

2. We want to keep public lands public — and funded.

The backlash to proposed public lands sell-offs has been swift and bipartisan. Americans aren’t asking for their national parks and forests to be privatized or defunded. They’re asking for more rangers, better maintenance, easier access, and the assurance that these places will still be there for generations to come. When you ask people across the political spectrum whether they want public lands protected or handed over to developers, the answer is remarkably clear: protected and maintained. 

3. Water is a massive, massive concern.

Whether it’s the Colorado River’s drought, the growing hazard of the Salt Lake, or the degradation of the Mississippi River ecosystem, Americans are concerned about the health of our waterways, as well as the pollution from toxic chemicals in our drinking water. Confidence in drinking water safety is near a historic low. From MAHA to Mamdani supporters, acting on water is a no-brainer for most Americans. 

4. We want our forests healthy — before they burn.

A century of fire suppression has left our forests dangerously overgrown, and we’re living with the consequences. Nine million acres burned in 2024 alone, and another summer of dangerous fires is likely ahead. Americans broadly support prescribed burns, strategic thinning, more local involvement in forest management, and adequate funding for forest health.

5. We want to invest in farmers and ranchers, not work against them.

Farmers and ranchers tend to be among the best conservationists in the country. They live on the land, and the health of the environment is directly tied to their livelihood. 84% of Americans support incentivizing them to adopt sustainable practices, and 75% of farmers themselves want to see more funding for voluntary conservation programs. This is a place where economic self-interest and environmental health point in the same direction. We should be building on that.

If there’s one issue that should bring every American together ahead of our 250th birthday, it’s conserving our environment. America’s environmental legacy has been deeply threatened by partisan, divisive politics, but the coalition of Americans who want action is at an all-time high. We cannot continue allowing our leaders to bypass us, and we need to build a movement that reflects our unified demand. 

This Earth Day, let’s focus on building the next generation of America’s environmental leadership —together. If we do, a short stretch of rollbacks and inaction can give way to an era of the greatest common-sense conservation achievements in American history. Achievements that we all want, and that we need. 

— Benji Backer, Founder & CEO, Nature is Nonpartisan