The National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF) commissioned Roper Starch Worldwide to conduct a series of surveys to better assess the public understanding of the environment and environmental education, as well as how prepared they are for the environmental challenges facing all Americans.

The National Report Card on Environmental Knowledge, Attitudes, and Behaviors (1998) reveals there is persistent misinformation about the environment in the United States, which can stand in the way of action on a wide array of issues.