The Politics of Extension Water Programming:Determining if Affiliation Impacts Participation

摘要

Research has found levels of engagement in environmental behaviors and participation inExtension programming around environmental issues are directly associated with politicalaffiliation. Democrat and Independent parties encourage members to vote for stricterenvironmental regulations, such as water conservation efforts, while Republicans resist. Thesedivergent political behaviors imply that individuals’ political affiliation affects their waterconservation habits and their attitudes towards environmental issues. Hence, this can be used as abasis for creating appropriate water conservation-focused Extension programs targeting specificpopulations. However, research on the level of individual engagement in water conservation effortsand participation in Extension programming by political affiliation is lacking. The purpose of thisstudy was to identify how engagement in water conservation behaviors and interest in waterfocusedExtension programs differ by political affiliation. The results show that Democrats aremore interested in water-based education when compared to Republicans. These findings haveimportant implications for the development of effective Extension programs designed to assist inwater conservation efforts. By understanding the diverse political influences on water conservationbehaviors, Extension educators can create appropriate and effective water-based educationprograms that resonates with all audiences.