Albury residents rank the environment higher than the rest of NSW but tend to act less on these concerns, according to a study recently completed by Charles Sturt University researcher, Johnathon Howard.

In a study for the Albury City Council, Mr Howard found that Albury and Wodonga residents were anxious about the environment and ranked it third behind health and unemployment as their main concerns, two places higher than the NSW average. Twenty one per cent of responses from Albury residents ranked environment their highest priority.

The study indicated water conservation was the most prominent environmental concern for Albury and Wodonga residents, which was further reinforced by the high concern shown for specific aspects of water use and water quality.

"Water quality was considered important by Border residents. Phosphates and blue green algae were nominated by over nine out of ten residents from both cities as their most important specific concern regarding water quality," Mr Howard said.

"However, the study also showed that, when compared to State and national averages, fewer people in both cities carried out activities that care for the environment. For example, while 82 per cent of NSW residents reduced their use of water around the home, only 56 per cent of Albury residents and 63 per cent from Wodonga said they had changed their habits to reduce their use of water," he said.

"This is of particular concern in that although advertising raised people's awareness about water conservation issues, it did not change their behaviours. We need to develop simple solutions to change everyday behaviours."

The study did find one notable exception, however, with around 95 per cent of the Albury-Wodonga residents surveyed affirming that they were recycling household rubbish.