Several researchers have noted that the knowledge and awareness of children with regard to environmental concepts and issues are at a low level. The major aim of this study was to investigate the knowledge and understanding of primary school children about selected environmental concepts and issues such as conservation, recycling, pollution and environmental protection. This study also aimed at understanding how the children’s conceptions are developed and how the knowledge of these critical concepts shape their environmental awareness and practices outside the classroom. This information will assist those who have responsibilities for Environmental Education within schools and for those who develop support programmes for the protection, restoration and enhancement of the quality of the environment. The study was conducted at three primary schools and four children were selected from each school. This study involved the use of semi-structured interviews to ascertain details of children’s knowledge and conceptions about environmental issues. The study has established that the majority of children that took part in this study understand the environment only from a physical and biophysical perspective. This is characterised by a limited conception of the environment where the environment is thought to be a place, a place with living things and a place with living things and people. The research findings in the study also indicated that the majority of children that took part in investigation utilized by this study recognised basic facts concerning environmental problems; however most of them could not apply their knowledge to comprehend the consequences or suggest potential solutions to the environmental problems. This study will help towards the establishment of a sound basis for Environmental education in schools. / Dissertation (MEd (Environmental Education))--University of Pretoria, 2006. / Curriculum Studies / unrestricted

Studier visar att mänsklig aktivitet, såsom utnyttjande av naturresurser, är kopplat till den globala temperaturökningen. Samtidigt uppmärksammas hållbarhetsfrågor allt mer på sociala medieplattformar som Instagram, där främst unga vuxna är aktiva dagligen. Denna studie undersöker huruvida Instagram kan användas som verktyg för att påverka användarnas syn på hållbarhetsfrågor. Mer specifikt undersöker studien frågeställningen “Hur påverkas unga vuxna ur ett miljöperspektiv av att följa hållbarhetsrelaterade konton på Instagram?”. I studien fick tio deltagare följa 19 hållbarhetsrelaterade konton bestående av följande kategorier: miljöorganisationer och miljöaktivister, förespråkare av grönare matvanor samt konton som uppmärksammar plastanvändning och nedskräpning. Deltagarna reflekterade över innehållet i sina Instagramflöden dagligen under tio dagar, och deltog slutligen i individuella intervjuer. Materialet analyserades tematiskt och delades upp i fyra teman: instagramvanor före och under studien, inläggens (o)synlighet, kontonas påverkan på deltagarna och slutligen känslor kring studien. Resultatet visar att Instagram kan påverka användarna genom att bidra till nya kunskaper samt inspirera till enkla handlingar. Däremot visade studien ingen betydande ökning av miljömedvetenhet eller förändrad syn på hållbarhetsfrågor hos deltagarna. Detta beror troligtvis på Instagrams algoritm, som genom att filtrera innehåll försvårar möjligheten att integrera nya konton i personliga Instagramflöden. I studien diskuteras även coronapandemin (COVID-19) som en möjlig orsak till att deltagarna inte påverkades i större utsträckning. / Studies show that human consumption, such as over-utilization of natural resources, is linked to global warming. Concurrently, sustainability issues are gaining more attention on social media platforms such as Instagram, where many young adults are active daily. This study investigates whether Instagram can be used as a tool to influence opinions on sustainability by trying to integrate content advocating the environment into personal Instagram feeds. More specifically, the research question is "How are young adults impacted from an environmental perspective by following sustainability-related accounts on Instagram?". In this study, ten participants followed 19 sustainability-related accounts, consisting of the following categories: environmental organizations and environmental-activists, advocates of green eating habits, and accounts that deal with the use of plastics and littering. For ten days, the participants reflected on the content of their daily feeds, and finally, partook in individual interviews. The collected material was analyzed thematically and was split into four themes: Instagram habits before and during the study, the (un-)perceptibility of the posts, the accounts’ influence on the participants and finally, emotions experienced during the study. The results show that Instagram can affect the users by educating and inspiring them to take simple actions which are easily integrated into their everyday life. However, the study did not show a significant increase in environmental awareness or a changed view on sustainability issues among the participants. This was likely due to Instagram's algorithm which, by filtering content, makes it difficult to integrate new accounts into personal feeds. The study also addresses the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) and discusses it as a possible reason as to why the participants were not influenced to a greater extent.

Increasing the environmental awareness of invisible data, such as a city’s air pollution or a household’s energy consumption, has been an ongoing information visualization challenge that has entered the fields of immersive technologies like augmented (AR) and mixed reality (MR). In order to understand how form and dimensional affect this understanding for MR environments, this research investigated what the difference between statistical, iconographic 2D and physical 3D visualizations is with regards to minimizing cognitive load and fostering environmental awareness. By following a HCD process, two MR prototypes were developed for the HoloLens 2 which depicted invisible gas leak data. They were evaluated through a survey and usability study with 14 experts and non-experts, using SAGAT, NASA-TLX and other questionnaires. The results suggest that there is no significant difference between statistical, iconographic 2D and physical 3D visualizations in terms of environmental awareness and cognitive load. However, an analysis of the effect size and qualitative post-interview data imply that the physical 3D visualization led to a higher environmental awareness in all its three dimensions, while an analysis of the cognitive load sub-dimensions indicate that the statistical, iconographic 2D visualization was better suited for lowering cognitive load. / Att öka medvetenheten om osynliga data, såsom luftförororeningar i en stad eller hushållens energiförbrukning, har varit en pågående utmaning inom informationsvisualisering som har nått fram till områden inom immersiva teknologier som förstärkt verklighet (AR) och blandad verklighet (MR). För att förstå hur form och dimension påverkar denna förståelse i MR-miljöer, undersökte denna forskning skillnaden mellan statistiska, ikonografiska 2D- och fysiska 3D-visualiseringar när det gäller att minska kognitiv belastning och främja miljömedvetenhet. Genom att följa en HCD-process utvecklades två MR-prototyper för HoloLens 2 som skildrade osynliga gasläckagedata. De utvärderades genom en enkät- och användbarhetsstudie med 14 experter och icke-experter, där SAGAT, NASA-TLX och andra enkäter användes. Resultaten antyder att det inte finns någon signifikant skillnad mellan statistiska, ikonografiska 2D- och fysiska 3D-visualiseringar när det gäller miljömedvetenhet och kognitiv belastning. Dock antyder en analys av effektstorleken och kvalitativa postintervjudata att den fysiska 3D-visualiseringen ledde till en högre miljömedvetenhet i alla sina tre dimensioner, medan en analys av underdimensionerna för kognitiv belastning indikerar att den statistiska, ikonografiska 2D-visualiseringen var bättre lämpad för att minska kognitiv belastning.

Today's society is characterized by consumption and materialism, with e-commerce contributing to increased availability of products and services, leading to overconsumption. Generation Z is an environmentally conscious generation, but previous research claims this is not always reflected in their consumption behavior. The aim of the study is to gain an increased understanding of how factors such as individual intentions, social influences and the dilemma between individuals and the collective interest affect the purchasing behavior of Generation Z. By examining the factors the study aims to contribute to and increase understanding of why Generation Z's attitude to sustainable consumption is not always reflected in their purchasing behavior. We examine this using the Theory of Planned Behavior, the social dilemma, and purchasing behavior. We worked with a convenience sample, limiting Generation Z to the ages 2002-1997. This delimitation is based on the conditions of strong purchasing power and personal responsibility for consumption that the older members of the generation possess. A qualitative method was used in the study, and data were collected through semi-structured interviews. From the 18 interviews conducted, transcription and coding created a result that through analysis led to our conclusions. The study's results show that Generation Z has a lack of knowledge about sustainable consumption and experiences significant pressure from marketing to consume more. The results also show that the decisive factor for changing Generation Z's consumption behavior towards sustainability is influence from close ones. The study has contributed to an increased understanding of why Generation Z's environmental awareness is not always reflected in their consumption behavior and what is required for them to focus on sustainability and the environment in their consumption.

This study compares transportation preferences among students and staff from two different universities: KTH in Stockholm and ITBA in Buenos Aires. The aim was to identify the factors influencing transportation decisions and their impact on perceptions regarding its usage. A survey was conducted at both universities to gain insights from participants and analyze the collected information, aiming to propose solutions that enhance the quality and sustainability of transportation. This work presents a novel analysis by comparing two cities with seemingly different characteristics in terms of transportation and urban development, with an emphasis on sustainability. The results obtained are positive as potential improvements in both systems could be observed. Moreover, the results have generated ideas to improve the adoption of green and sustainable transportation, without compromising the quality of existing transportation for members of these educational institutions. The importance of environmental awareness and its positive impact on quality of life and urban mobility is highlighted.

The study focuses on the role of government in the provision of environmental programmes, events and campaigns. South Africa is a signatory to a number of environmental treaties and protocols hence it is expected to celebrate environmental days annually, such as World Wetland Day, National Water Week, World Environmental Week, Arbor Day and many more. The study considered the community of Masibekela, a remote rural village in Mpumalanga Province under the Nkomazi Local Municipality as its study area. Both qualitative and quantitative methods were applied to gather the necessary data from the four sets of respondents to a questionnaire survey, namely: the Sector Manager of Tonga Environmental Centre, traditional leadership and community members, learners and educators. The study discovered that the provision of environmental programmes, events and campaigns to the study area by the government leaves much to be desired. It lays bare that the community members of Masibekela are neglected environmentally by the government as compared to schools. The study also revealed contrasting features both in the knowledge and celebration of some of the environmental days by both the schools (learners and educators) and the general community members. A high percentage of learners and educators expressed their knowledge and celebration of environmental days since they are frequently visited by government officials to promote environmental programmes, events and campaigns geared towards environmental education and awareness but the same cannot be said about the traditional leaders and community members. It is recommended, among other things, that the Tonga Environmental Centre, as a custodian of provision of environmental programmes, events and campaigns, should be capacitated both in terms of human resources and strategic planning so as to meet its expectations. It is also recommended vi that more funding for bursaries for environmental studies for the youth should be made available and also more capital should be injected into the actual promotion of environmental programmes, events and campaigns. The National Department of Education in collaboration with the Department of Environmental Affairs should consider including Environmental Education in the school curriculum as a compulsory subject in all grades / Geography / M. A. (Geography)

The study focuses on the role of government in the provision of environmental programmes, events and campaigns. South Africa is a signatory to a number of environmental treaties and protocols hence it is expected to celebrate environmental days annually, such as World Wetland Day, National Water Week, World Environmental Week, Arbor Day and many more. The study considered the community of Masibekela, a remote rural village in Mpumalanga Province under the Nkomazi Local Municipality as its study area. Both qualitative and quantitative methods were applied to gather the necessary data from the four sets of respondents to a questionnaire survey, namely: the Sector Manager of Tonga Environmental Centre, traditional leadership and community members, learners and educators. The study discovered that the provision of environmental programmes, events and campaigns to the study area by the government leaves much to be desired. It lays bare that the community members of Masibekela are neglected environmentally by the government as compared to schools. The study also revealed contrasting features both in the knowledge and celebration of some of the environmental days by both the schools (learners and educators) and the general community members. A high percentage of learners and educators expressed their knowledge and celebration of environmental days since they are frequently visited by government officials to promote environmental programmes, events and campaigns geared towards environmental education and awareness but the same cannot be said about the traditional leaders and community members. It is recommended, among other things, that the Tonga Environmental Centre, as a custodian of provision of environmental programmes, events and campaigns, should be capacitated both in terms of human resources and strategic planning so as to meet its expectations. It is also recommended vi that more funding for bursaries for environmental studies for the youth should be made available and also more capital should be injected into the actual promotion of environmental programmes, events and campaigns. The National Department of Education in collaboration with the Department of Environmental Affairs should consider including Environmental Education in the school curriculum as a compulsory subject in all grades / Geography / M. A. (Geography)

Skiing and snowboarding are popular recreation activities in New Zealand, as well as constituting important components of the winter tourism product. The 2001 snow season witnessed record visitor numbers. Skier days have increased by more than 10% compared with the previous year to 1.254 million. The traditionally “nature related” activity of skiing, however has increasingly often been discussed in the light of excessive resource consumption and pollution of alpine environments. Since no research on resource efficient management of ski fields has been undertaken in New Zealand, this study examined environmental awareness and actions of ski field managers, resource consumption benchmarks (water and energy use, solid waste production), along with resource use related visitor behaviour. Two separate surveys were undertaken to collect relevant information from ski field managers and ski field visitors. While a census of managers across New Zealand was conducted with a mail-back questionnaire (all 27 ski fields were contacted, response rate 44%), the visitor survey was undertaken on-site at six selected ski fields in Canterbury, South Island (total responses: N=259). Analysis of the survey results showed that managers generally acted to protect the environment and resources, however, at different levels for the various indicators measured. Energy use and air pollution were rarely perceived to be environmentally important. Accordingly, only few actions were undertaken to reduce energy use. This is surprising, since energy consumption proved to be a major feature of ski field management. Given the additionally large amounts of water consumed (mainly for snowmaking) and solid waste produced on the mountain, skiing has to be classified as a resource intensive activity. Resource consumption is intensified further, when the impacts associated with tourists being transported to, and from, the mountain are considered. Energy use for “ski trip transport” within New Zealand is two times larger (180 MJ) than energy use associated with ski field infrastructure use (90 MJ) on a per skier day basis. There are several options to improve the environmental performance of ski fields, ranging from modernising equipment, optimising snowmaking and providing efficient transport alternatives. Additionally, increased cooperation between ski field managers, local governments and research institutes could potentially result in environmentally smarter operational practices. Internationally, New Zealand’s ski areas compare relatively well, mainly because of limited on-mountain entertainment and accommodation development, which keeps resource consumption and pollution low compared with European and North American ski fields. However, this research also indicated that New Zealand’s ski field visitors increasingly demand facilities and services similar to those overseas, which in turn may result in larger environmental impacts. New Zealand is generally believed to be a green and nature-related destination and its ski areas still blend well into the natural environment. Hence, there is some potential for the New Zealand ski industry to develop a unique product in such a way that it is both, sustainable and distinguishable from other international markets.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-12-17T14:53:22Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 EsmeraldoMS.pdf: 701694 bytes, checksum: 2eb58a7ede296ca49c8a7bf7218b2208 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2002-09-09 / Coordena??o de Aperfei?oamento de Pessoal de N?vel Superior / The present study inserts on the international environmental thematic, approaching the integrated management of solid waste and the participation of the social actors in the search of the sustainable development. The awareness in combining it still describes a Selective Collection Program SCP of solid waste, in partnership with the municipal public power, in the development of joint actions that result in better alternatives of waste management in the urban centers, providing better life quality for the population and conservation of the environment. The aim of this research is to study problematic of the management of solid waste under the point of view of the environmental awareness and the participation of the population in a city of Brazil. In this matter, the target of the work is focusing on the strategy of solid waste management, through the attitudes and the respondents behaviors to aid in the making decision of the public manager related to the implantation of a selective collection program in Natal/RN. The methodology used in this work constitutes in the application of a questionnaire with scales of the type Likert being constituted of variables that compose the aspects of attitudes and of behaviors, besides a social-demographic scale. For analysis statistics is used the Pearson s Chi-Square Method in order to verify the dependence of the associations between the social-demographic variables and the attitude and the behavior ones. The results appear for a larger participation in a SCP, since this provides a better quality of life of the population (28,3 %), followed for offering a financial advantage (27,3%). Other results indicate the existence of the variables that exercise influence on the environmental awareness of the population to its demographic aspects / O presente estudo insere-se na tem?tica ambiental internacional, abordando a gest?o integrada de res?duos s?lidos e a participa??o dos atores sociais na busca do desenvolvimento sustent?vel atrav?s de sua conscientiza??o ambiental. Descreve ainda a conscientiza??o em integrar-se a um Programa de Coleta Seletiva PCS de res?duos s?lidos em parceria com o poder p?blico municipal, no desenvolvimento de a??es conjuntas que resultem em melhores alternativas de gest?o para os res?duos nos centros urbanos, proporcionando melhor qualidade de vida para a popula??o e preserva??o do meio ambiente. O objetivo desta pesquisa ? estudar a problem?tica da gest?o de res?duos s?lidos sob o ponto de vista da conscientiza??o e participa??o ambiental da popula??o em uma cidade do Brasil. Desta forma, o escopo do trabalho versa sobre a estrat?gia de gest?o de res?duos s?lidos, atrav?s das atitudes e comportamentos dos entrevistados para auxiliar na tomada de decis?o do gestor p?blico quanto ? implanta??o de um programa de coleta seletiva em Natal/RN. A metodologia empregada neste trabalho constitui na aplica??o de um question?rio com escalas do tipo Likert constituindo-se de vari?veis que comp?em os aspectos atitudinais e comportamentais, al?m de uma escala s?cio-demogr?fica. Foi utilizado na an?lise estat?stica o m?todo Chi-Square de Pearson de modo a verificar a depend?ncia das associa??es entre as vari?veis s?cio-demogr?ficas e as vari?veis atitudinais e comportamentais. Os resultados apontam para uma maior participa??o em um PCS, desde que este proporcione uma melhor qualidade de vida da popula??o (28,3 %), seguido por oferecer uma vantagem financeira (27,3%). Outros resultados indicam a exist?ncia de vari?veis que exercem influ?ncia sobre a conscientiza??o ambiental da popula??o quanto ao seus aspectos demogr?ficos

Made available in DSpace on 2014-12-17T15:04:46Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 LuzianiaALM.pdf: 966138 bytes, checksum: 1ed864fa3b4954dead72e22f94b9a57d (MD5) Previous issue date: 2006-05-19 / This work proposes a transdisciplinary approach that integrates transpersonal psychology exercises with astronomy teaching, seeking to allow one to reintegrate the sky in his/her daily life, expand his/her environmental awareness and eventually experiment the unity between human and cosmos. This proposal intends to collaborate with the supplying of education, which lacks initiatives of this kind, with the promotion of an integration of the scientific knowledge with the human experience that transcends the materialistic and fragmentary objectives of the current educational system. As a result of that lack, the teachers formation is also poor as for an integral and transdisciplinary approach. Besides, we also approached in this research the necessity to propose alternatives so that the educators may work in a more assertive way with the environmental and anthropological crisis in which we are living. Our working hypothesis is that the contents of astronomy, when they are dealt in a holisticanthropological focus and are related with transpersonal psychology practices, can come to be an efficient cultural-academic vehicle, capable of propitiating an expansion of consciousness and changes in the way one conceives the world. Such changes are necessary so that a more solidary, fair and ecologically balanced life may come to exist and prevail in the planet. Part of the collection of data was done through the ethnographic method, once an anthropological interpretation is inextricably associated with this kind of educational intervention, which will naturally include ethno-visions of the universe as well as specific cultural elements. In the beginning the scope of this research was a group of students attending the Astronomy assignment in an undergraduate Geography course (UFRN), in which we accomplished participant observation, half-open interviews and the first experimental practices mentioned. After the evaluation of the first data collected from that initial group, we elaborated an academic extension course, Laboratory in Cosmoeducation, and we offered it to teachers of the 1st and 2nd cycles of the fundamental level of the Alceu Amoroso Lima State School, located in the North Zone of Natal. We prized self-experimentation in that course, so that the teachers could enrich their repertoire of personal experiences, stimulating meditative reflections and eventual changes in the ways of conceiving the world and in their pedagogical practice. The transdisciplinary attitude permeated all our educational action, because this approach transcends the boundaries of disciplines, seeking essentially the integral development of the human being. The process has made us realize that the practice of looking at the sky , as a way of reintegrating it into daily life, provokes a process of expansion of the consciousness and of reintegration of the self in a wider level of environmental interrelation. According to the results, the occurrence of conceptual and existential changes of the world vision of the participant teachers was evident, reassuring ourselves of the idea that the interface between astronomy teaching and the practices of transpersonal psychology can contribute to the recovery of a holistic relationship between the human being and the cosmos and to inspire the arising of a more wide-ranging ethics, based on universal, impartial and sustainable values / Este trabalho prop?e uma abordagem transdisciplinar que integra exerc?cios da psicologia transpessoal e ensino de astronomia, visando possibilitar ao sujeito reincluir o c?u na sua viv?ncia di?ria, expandir sua consci?ncia ambiental e eventualmente vivenciar a unidade ser humano-cosmo. Esta proposta pretende colaborar para suprir a car?ncia em educa??o de iniciativas que promovam uma integra??o do conhecimento cient?fico e da experi?ncia humana que transcenda os objetivos materialistas e fragmentadores do sistema educacional atual. Fruto dessa car?ncia, tamb?m a forma??o dos professores ? prec?ria no que se refere a uma abordagem integralizadora e transdisciplinar. Al?m disto, faz-se necess?rio propor alternativas para que os educadores possam lidar de modo mais assertivo com a crise ambiental e antropol?gica que vivenciamos, o que tamb?m abordamos nesta pesquisa. Nossa hip?tese de trabalho ? que conte?dos de astronomia, quando trabalhados segundo um enfoque hol?stico-antropol?gico e relacionados com pr?ticas da psicologia transpessoal, podem vir a ser um eficiente ve?culo cultural-acad?mico, capaz de propiciar uma expans?o de consci?ncia e mudan?as na concep??o de mundo dos sujeitos em quest?o. Tais mudan?as se fazem necess?rias para que a exist?ncia de uma vida mais solid?ria, justa e ecologicamente equilibrada comece a prevalecer no planeta. O m?todo utilizado em parte da coleta de dados foi o etnogr?fico, uma vez que uma interpreta??o de car?ter antropol?gico est? inextricavelmente associada a este tipo de interven??o educacional, a qual vai envolver de modo natural tanto etno-vis?es do universo, como elementos culturais espec?ficos. O universo desta pesquisa foi inicialmente um grupo de estudantes da disciplina de Astronomia (Curso de Licenciatura em Geografia/UFRN), onde realizamos observa??o participante, entrevistas semi-abertas e as primeiras pr?ticas vivenciais mencionadas. Ap?s o tratamento dos primeiros dados coletados com esse grupo inicial, elaboramos um curso de extens?o universit?ria, Laborat?rio em Cosmoeduca??o, e o oferecemos a professores do 1? e 2? ciclos do n?vel fundamental da Escola Estadual Alceu Amoroso Lima, localizada na zona Norte de Natal. Valorizamos nesse curso a auto-experimenta??o, para que os professores enriquecessem o seu repert?rio de viv?ncias pessoais, estimulando reflex?es meditativas e eventuais mudan?as na concep??o de mundo e na pr?tica pedag?gica dos mesmos. A atitude transdisciplinar permeou toda a nossa a??o educacional, visto que esta abordagem transcende as fronteiras disciplinares, visando essencialmente o desenvolvimento integral do ser humano. O processo nos tem revelado o quanto a pr?tica de olhar o c?u , no sentido de reinclu?-lo na vida di?ria, provoca um processo de expans?o da consci?ncia e de reintegra??o do eu em um patamar de inter-rela??o ambiental mais amplo. De acordo com os resultados alcan?ados, ficou evidente a ocorr?ncia de mudan?as conceituais e existenciais em rela??o ? vis?o de mundo dos professores participantes, refor?ando a id?ia de que a interface entre o ensino de astronomia e as pr?ticas de psicologia transpessoal pode contribuir para a recupera??o de uma rela??o hol?stica entre o ser humano e o cosmo e inspirar o surgimento de uma ?tica mais abrangente, fundamentada em princ?pios universalistas, equ?nimes e sustent?veis