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Human disturbance is a significant threat to shorebirds in North America. Disturbance can result in direct mortality or have long-term impacts on the survival of shorebirds. Land managers employ a variety of management techniques to minimize anthropogenic impacts on shorebirds, but because the Atlantic Flyway is ecologically and recreationally diverse, management can vary among sites. This thesis used social science methods to understand the extent to which human disturbance is managed and how human disturbance is managed. Specifically, we surveyed land managers and biologists in the U.S. and Canada portions of the Atlantic Flyway to examine potential disturbances, types of activities that are restricted, when restrictions occur, the perceived effectiveness of management techniques, public compliance with restrictions, and resource needs of managers. With the findings from this research, agencies and organizations that manage shorebirds can assess where to invest time, effort, and resources to reduce disturbance. We also used a survey of dog walkers to ascertain the benefits and constraints to leashing dogs near shorebirds because dog walking is one of the top-rated potential disturbances to shorebirds. Additionally, we sought to understand the personal and social norms related to dog walking and evaluated if a community-based social marketing (CBSM) approach would be enhanced by the addition of norms. Using a CBSM approach, we provided insights on strategies to promote voluntarily leashing of dogs near shorebirds. Through this thesis, we aimed to bridge the needs of people and the needs of shorebirds, in an effort to produce effective conservation outcomes. / Master of Science / Shorebird populations have declined in the past four decades. Declines are due in part to human use of coastal areas, which can result in harm to shorebirds. To reduce human impacts on shorebirds and help land managers make decisions about management, this thesis used social science methods. Using a survey of managers, we found that management primarily occurs during the spring and summer and is less frequently during the fall and winter. Of the human activities that could disturb shorebirds, walking dogs off leash is the most commonly regulated. But people are also least commonly compliant with these regulations. Managers believe that the best ways to reduce disturbance to shorebirds included fencing, informal outreach, and signage. More staff and volunteers are also needed to help reduce disturbance. In a subsequent survey of dog walkers, we learned why people leash (or do not leash) dogs near shorebirds. We found that people leash to protect shorebirds, keep dogs safe, control dogs, and keep dogs from bothering people. People choose not to leash because leashing prevents dogs from exercising and socializing, and people believe dogs respond to commands. People who leash dogs generally believe others expect them to leash their dogs near shorebirds. Knowing why people leash or do not leash can help predict leashing behavior and encourage dog walkers to voluntarily leash dogs near shorebirds. This thesis considers the needs of people and the needs of shorebirds as way to achieve effective conservation solutions.

The Personal Transportation System safeguards peoples’ cultural understanding of freedom: to move individually without being dependent on others. However, the increasing number of private vehicles driven on fossil fuels contributes to unsustainability and one of the most urgent issues, climate change. The authors explored electric vehicles as an alternative to fossil fuel driven vehicles as a way of moving strategically towards sustainability in the Personal Transportation System. In order to increase demand of electric vehicles, barriers need to be overcome. The authors identified perceived barriers and enablers through literature review, interviews with automobile dealers and other stakeholders of the EV sector in Southeast Sweden, as well as through an electronic survey of individuals living in this region. The outcome of the thesis is a pilot strategy using behavior change tools from Community-Based Social Marketing in order to address the perceived barriers and enablers on the demand side of the electric vehicle market. With highly positive attitudes towards electric vehicles in Southeast Sweden, the strategy may be successful in the region; however, it needs to be combined with further measures on the supply side of the market which cannot be addressed with behavior change tools.

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Energy consumption is one of the major contributors to greenhouse gas emissions and to climate change. Renewable energy sources are one way of mitigating the problem, but behavioral change and reductions in consumption are also required. In addition, little is known about how energy conservation behaviors are driven or hindered at workplaces, but it has been found in previous research that employee engagement is an important factor. Therefore, this study takes a mixed method approach utilizing the framework of Community-Based Social Marketing at a pharmaceutical manufacturing site in Sweden to investigate drivers and barriers to energy conservation, designing an intervention aiming at increasing employee engagement as well as changing behaviors, and evaluating the study using interviews, surveys and real time measurements. The findings of this study suggest that several factors act as barriers and drivers to energy conservation behaviors at work, e.g., interest, organizational culture, work processes and commitment from the company and management. The designed intervention, an inclusionary trans- disciplinary workshop, seems to have increased engagement and has preliminarily influenced pro-environmental behavior changes, as well as mitigated some barriers and strengthened some drivers.

Mitigating the negative environmental impact of plastics is an important part of achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. Despite plastics having great recycling potential, it is the waste fraction with the lowest recycling rate in Sweden (with 33% being recycled). Hence, efforts must be made to promote households' engagement in plastic recycling. Therefore, an informational campaign with the aim of increasing residents’ plastic recycling intentions was designed, using Community-Based Social Marketing. The campaign was made in collaboration with the real estate company Ikano Bostad, and was implemented in their residential area in Danderyd, Sweden. The campaign was running for 5 weeks and was designed and distributed as two posters, which addressed the context-specific barriers and enablers to plastic recycling among residents. To aid the design and evaluation of the campaign, the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) was applied for a deeper understanding of the underlying constructs of plastic recycling intentions. To measure the campaign's effectiveness, two questionnaires (one pre-campaign and one post-campaign) were distributed to the residents, consisting of 294 individuals, to obtain quantitative data about their intentions towards plastic recycling. The results did not show any empirical support for the campaign's effectiveness in increasing residents’ plastic recycling intentions. However, this study contributes important insights and recommendations for increasing future campaign effectiveness, such as highlighting the importance of empowering and motivating individuals and the benefits of conducting a profound pre-study before designing the campaign.

Denna studie är en fallstudie av Equmeniakyrkans kampanj Klimatfastan, där de under 40 dagar uppmanade medarbetare och medlemmar att se över sitt klimatavtryck och göra beteendeförändringar utifrån detta. Tidigare forskning visar att religiösa miljöaktioner skiljer sig från sekulära miljöaktioner gällande metoder, fokus och budskap. Studien ämnaratt undersöka hur Klimatfastan genomfördes, vilka effekter kampanjen hade påmedlemmars miljömedvetna beteende samt vilka svårigheter och framgångsfaktorer som kunde identifieras. För attkunna dra slutsatser utifrån ett bredare perspektiv, undersöktes den nationella organisationen och en lokal församling i Equmeniakyrkan. Materialet som användes för att besvara studiens frågeställningar bestod av tre intervjuer med Equmeniakyrkans personal, en enkät riktad till en lokal församling och ett internt dokument. Resultatet visar att Equmeniakyrkansanvändning av resurser förstärktes genom användning av vad Bomberg och Hague (2018) definierar som andliga resursergenom hela processen. Detta identifierades som en framgångsfaktor för kampanjen. En skillnad mellan den nationella organisationen och den lokala församlingen var möjligheten att förutse och hantera hinder för medlemmarnas deltagande i kampanjen. / This is acase study that examines the UnitingChurch in Sweden ́s (UCS) campaign “Klimatfastan” (Climate Fasting), during which members were encouraged to examine their carbon footprints and make lifestyle changes accordingly for40 days. Previous research shows that religious environmental groups differ from secular groups when it comes to methods, focus areas and messages. The aim of this study was to examine how the Climate Fastingwas implemented, which effects the campaign had on members’ pro-environmental behaviour,and which strengths and weaknesses the campaign had. To be able to draw conclusions based on a wider perspective, the campaign was examined through the lens of the national organisation and a local congregation. The material used to answer the study’s research questions consisted of three interviews with staff at UCS, a survey answered bymembers of a local congregation,and an internal document. The results show that UCS ́s use of resources was enhanced by the use of what Bomberg and Hague (2018) define asspiritual resourcesthroughout the campaign. This was identified as a strength. A difference between the national organisation and the local congregation was the ability to identify and counteract barriers for members’ participation in the campaign.

No description available.

In the summer of 2007, a single neighbourhood in downtown Toronto contributed at least 13 percent of all residential grid???tie solar photovoltaic (PV) systems sold in the Canadian province of Ontario. On average, PV purchaser households produced 37 percent as much electricity as they consumed. This research investigates solar energy adoption in a community case study. Specifically, it investigates why some residents who sign up for a solar resource assessment through a community solar energy initiative (CSEI) decide to purchase, and others decide not to purchase in the short???term. Characteristics and perceptions of potential adopters are analyzed to better understand their motivations and barriers to adoption. Community energy projects became an official public policy goal in Ontario, with the passing of the Green Energy and Green Economy Act in 2009. Approximately 80 percent of Ontario???s anticipated generation capacity will need to be built, replaced or refurbished within 15 years. In this context, the Ontario Ministry of Energy, Ontario Power Authority, and Deloitte (one of Canada???s leading professional services firms), have partnered with a ???green benefit??? fund, the Community Power Fund, to help local community groups access resources to develop and establish renewable energy projects. Understanding solar energy adoption in a community context is therefore important to improve the effectiveness of such policies, including the disbursement of multi???million dollar grant funds. Differences between purchasers and non???purchasers in respect of adoption behaviour were found in this study to cluster around two general themes. The first theme concerns differences in compatibility of both the concept of solar energy systems, and their physical attributes, with characteristics of potential adopter households. Some compatibility issues are straightforward, e.g. availability of roof space with a southern orientation. Others are more complex, involving several interrelated perceptual and socio???demographic factors. For instance, while both purchasers and non???purchasers rated cost as a very important barrier, purchasers rated the motivation of solar energy systems to reduce climate change higher relative to the barrier of high financial costs than did non???purchasers. Purchasers were also more likely to possess a graduate degree, while non???purchasers were more likely to hold a professional degree. The second general theme relates to potential adopters??? trust and stake in the ability of the community???based initiative to reduce barriers in the adoption process. Since two types of solar energy systems are considered in the case study???PV and thermal (hot water)???differences are explored between each of three respondent groups: solar PV purchasers, solar hot water (SHW) purchasers, and non???purchasers. iv Surveys were used to gather data on adopter perceptions and characteristics. A participatory research design helped identify the research topic. Two main bodies of literature???community???based social marketing (CBSM) and diffusion of innovations theory???were drawn upon to conceptualize the adoption process and interpret the survey findings. These include five models of human behaviour that can be used to guide the design of CBSM campaigns. Diffusion theory was used as a basis for discussing ???perceived innovation attributes???. The study takes an integrated approach by considering both social and technical aspects of solar energy adoption, together with the issues of fuel substitution and household electricity demand.