Understanding The Public Reaction To Major United States Environmental Policies Through Twitter

This study investigates public reactions to major environmental policies through an analysis of historical tweets from 2010 to 2022, focusing on 11 key policies. Utilizing word cloud and sentiment analysis, the research identifies predominant themes and emotions in discussions surrounding each policy announcement. Results indicate that political figures tend to be the central focus, while environmental aspects receive limited attention. Negative emotions, such as sadness and anger, are prevalent in these conversations. To examine shifts in sentiment, a series of t-tests were conducted, comparing emotions before, at, and after each policy enactment day. The findings suggest that conversations increasingly focus on specific environmental policies on the day of their announcement and that initial reactions are generally positive. However, sentiment can change rapidly, irrespective of public opinion on the policy.