This study investigated the relationship between children's environmental perceptions and their ecological actions before and after attending Earthkeepers, an earth education program. Participants were 604 4th, 5th, and 6th grade students from 14 schools in Arizona and Pennsylvania. A comparison of the environmental perceptions of participants revealed a statistically significant difference between those who undertook more and those who undertook fewer or no positive ecological actions. After the program, students who undertook more positive ecological actions, for example using less energy and fewer materials, had more pro-environmental perceptions than their counterparts. Individual interviews with 18 of the participants supported the positive relationship between environmental perceptions and ecological actions and provided further explanations for those actions.

Local governments in Melbourne are rethinking the design of parks with the aim of increasing water efficiency. In changing park design to achieve this objective, community landscape aesthetic expectations need also to be considered if these changes are to be socially acceptable. Using a psychophysical approach of landscape assessment, this thesis examines the relationship between public perceptions of park environments in Melbourne and water consumption. The thesis first develops a perceptual classification of a sample of landscapes found in Melbourne’s urban park system. Secondly, it investigates the meanings, perceptions and aesthetic and general preferences the public associate with these park landscapes. Thirdly, it estimates the relative water-use of landscape plantings associated with these park landscapes. Finally, it develops a systematic approach to balancing the public aesthetic expectations and water-use in urban parks. (For complete abstract open document)

<p>In the first paper, s<em>ense of place</em> (SoP) is used to evaluate immigrant experiences in three small to medium-sized Canadian cites: Hamilton, ON; Saskatoon, SK; and, Charlottetown, PEI. First, quantitative analysis is used to compare <em>SoP</em> amongst immigrant and Canadian-born respondents in the three cities. Ordered logistic regression determined four significant predictors of <em>SoP</em>: income; age; neighbourhood length of residence and, city of residence. Despite an observed difference in evaluations of <em>SoP</em> between immigrants and Canadian-born individuals, regression analysis did not identify immigrant status as a significant predictor of <em>SoP</em>.</p> <p>The second paper employs a mixed-methods strategy to examine individual perceptions of air quality and sense of place amongst Canadian-born and immigrant women in Northeast Hamilton. Furthermore, the study aims to determine the influence of sense of place on local environmental perceptions. Qualitative focus group discussions suggest that Canadian-born women may be more aware, knowledgeable and concerned about large-scale air quality issues; however, the tension between economic and environmental needs hinders their sense of control. Quantitative survey results suggest that Canadian-born residents have a higher absolute value of sense of place than immigrants. Bringing together the qualitative and quantitative data suggests that sense of place may inform environmental perceptions.</p> / Master of Arts (MA)

Master of Arts / Department of Geography / John A. Harrington Jr / Global and regional climates have changed significantly in recent decades. One of the sectors most affected by a changing climate is agriculture. While the scientific consensus is clear that climate has changed, a declining number of Americans believe in the seriousness of “global warming”. Bridging this knowledge gap will require a more in depth understanding of public perceptions of climate change. The research reported here addressed public perceptions of climate and environmental change in north central Kansas and found that farmers are aware that climate has changed over their lifetimes. Local residents were found to be aware on ongoing environmental changes and adopting changes in land management practices that balance improving environmental conditions with the need to make a profit. More information is needed on what information sources and presentation styles would work best for the communication of updated information, both for communicating with farmers and with educators.

Submitted by Jorge Silva (jorgelmsilva@ufrrj.br) on 2017-04-07T18:55:36Z No. of bitstreams: 1 2016 - Cassiano Perini Gujanwski.pdf: 1203197 bytes, checksum: be71c542174de10a2b08c0a6262ce181 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-04-07T18:55:36Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 2016 - Cassiano Perini Gujanwski.pdf: 1203197 bytes, checksum: be71c542174de10a2b08c0a6262ce181 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-04-11 / The studies of environmental perception contribute to a major understanding of the relationships between mankind/nature in specific contexts. They help in the drafting of public policies, guide educational programs and projects . The objective of this study is to identify and analyze the student?s environmental perception in Technical Course Integrated to the High School from the Federal Institute from Esp?rito Santo, Campus Itapina, in Colatina city, state of Espirito Santo, Brazil, identify if there is any differences in the environmental perceptions between the students who come from farm and those who come from the city and which they are, relate the student?s environmental perceptions and their local realities and identify in the Technical Course Integrated to the High School?s the Teaching Planes the contents exposed in the student?s perceptions. This was a qualitative research with students who attend Technical Course Integrated to the High School from the Federal Institute from Esp?rito Santo, Campus Itapina who are registered in the first and in the last grade of the first Semester in the academic year of 2015. The data gathering was done by a semi-structured questionnaire, with variables considered identifying information in environmental perception which has open and half -open questions. The results indicate that the environmental conception as a resource is predominant between the students of both grades, but it?s still stronger between the students from the third grade, showing the influence of the Environmental Education Recursista/Conservacionista Tendency. It is hoped with this, subsidize the promotion of actions that changes the existing paradigms, cooperating with the preparation of program contents in the High School from the Federal Institute of Brazil courses Teaching Plans. / Os estudos de percep??es ambientais contribuem para um melhor entendimento das rela??es Homem/Natureza em contextos espec?ficos, ajudando, dentre outras coisas, na elabora??o de pol?ticas p?blicas, orientam programas e projetos educacionais. Este estudo teve objetivo de identificar e analisar a percep??o ambiental dos alunos dos Cursos T?cnicos Integrados ao Ensino M?dio do Instituto Federal do Esp?rito Santo, Campus Itapina, no munic?pio de Colatina ? ES, identificando se ocorrem diferen?as nas percep??es ambientais entre alunos provenientes do campo e da cidade e quais s?o elas; relacionar as percep??es ambientais dos alunos e suas realidades locais e identificar nos Planos de Ensino desses Cursos os conte?dos apresentados nas percep??es dos alunos. Trata-se de uma pesquisa qualitativa, com alunos frequentadores dos Cursos Profissionalizantes Integrados ao Ensino M?dio do IFES Campus Itapina, que est?o matriculados na primeira e na ?ltima s?rie do primeiro semestre do letivo de 2015. A coleta de dados foi realizada atrav?s da aplica??o de question?rio semiestruturado, contendo perguntas abertas e semi abertas com vari?veis consideradas como identificadoras da percep??o ambiental. Os resultados indicaram que a concep??o de meio ambiente como recurso natural ? predominante entre os alunos pesquisados, mas ? ainda mais forte entre os alunos da 3? s?rie (?ltima s?rie), demonstrando a influ?ncia da corrente de Educa??o Ambiental Recursista/Conservacionista. Espera-se assim subsidiar a promo??o de a??es que mudem os paradigmas existentes, colaborando com a elabora??o dos conte?dos program?ticos dos planos de ensino dos cursos de ensino m?dio dos Institutos Federais no Brasil.

The relation between place attachment and pro-environmental behaviour has not been thoroughly examined. Of the few studies to have investigated this, findings conflict (Uzzell, Pol, & Badenas, 2002; Vaske & Kobrin, 2001). Possibly, these inconsistencies relate to the definition of place attachment. The current study distinguished two dimensions of place attachment: social-symbolic (civic), and physical-natural. Data were collected from 104 community members in two proximate towns. Participants indicated their levels of natural and civic attachment, evaluated the current and future local environmental quality, and reported their pro-environmental behaviours. Greater place attachment was associated with more positive current evaluations in Trail. Surprisingly, environmental evaluations did not predict pro-environmental behaviour in either town. Both types of place attachment predicted pro-environmental behaviour in Nelson, but in Trail, only natural attachment was significant. Thus, for different cities, different types of place attachment will predict pro-environmental behaviour. Implications and directions for further research are discussed.

This thesis is offered as a contribution to studies of social and cultural change in the Icelandic fisheries and fishing communities. Such changes may be seen as a result of the interplay of internal dynamics with both national and global forces and processes, not least with regard to the impacts of fisheries governance. These changes occur also in an international context of new environmental ideologies and perceptions of marine mammals, with consequences for social dynamics of local resource-use. Here it is argued that the conflicts over the harvesting or conservation of cetaceans can productively be understood from a cultural perspective. The thesis discusses the elevation of whales as symbols of particular value, and the metaphorical and cognitive aspects of, in particular, anthropomorphism, the projection of human motives and values onto animal behaviour, as a significant and effective part of conservation rhetoric and ideology. Specifically, the thesis deals with issues concerning whaling and whale watching along with issues and debates concerning these alternative forms of exploiting marine mammals. It also discusses central questions regarding fisheries governance and rights to fishing with reference to social and economic viability in Icelandic fishing communities. The unifying themes of this thesis are: how marine-mammal issues and controversies and social impacts of fisheries governance form part of globalization processes; how environmental and economic paradigms influence change, particularly in terms of marine-mammal conservation campaigns and market liberalist resource policy; and how these external ideological forces call for responses at local and national levels. The adaptive actions of the human agents and communities involved are described as creative, cumulative and complex. The thesis also highlights the central transformative role of the new regime of private property rights introduced into Icelandic fisheries governance in the 1980s.

The relation between place attachment and pro-environmental behaviour has not been thoroughly examined. Of the few studies to have investigated this, findings conflict (Uzzell, Pol, & Badenas, 2002; Vaske & Kobrin, 2001). Possibly, these inconsistencies relate to the definition of place attachment. The current study distinguished two dimensions of place attachment: social-symbolic (civic), and physical-natural. Data were collected from 104 community members in two proximate towns. Participants indicated their levels of natural and civic attachment, evaluated the current and future local environmental quality, and reported their pro-environmental behaviours. Greater place attachment was associated with more positive current evaluations in Trail. Surprisingly, environmental evaluations did not predict pro-environmental behaviour in either town. Both types of place attachment predicted pro-environmental behaviour in Nelson, but in Trail, only natural attachment was significant. Thus, for different cities, different types of place attachment will predict pro-environmental behaviour. Implications and directions for further research are discussed.

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / A base desta dissertação foi a avaliação dos resultados relativos ao planejamento e à implantação da coleta seletiva de resíduos sólidos urbanos, nos municípios do Rio de Janeiro e Curitiba, pontuando o que contribuiu para a adoção de diretrizes adequadas, com eficiência operacional e efetiva adesão da população ao programa. A pesquisa teve como objetivo analisar as percepções ambientais de moradores dos municípios de Curitiba e do Rio de Janeiro sobre as respectivas políticas públicas de coleta seletiva, a fim de pontuar as contribuições para a melhoria da sustentabilidade das referidas zonas urbanas. Teve como objetivos específicos: (i) avaliar os sistemas de gestão dos resíduos sólidos e da coleta seletiva nos municípios do Rio de Janeiro e de Curitiba; (ii) identificar planos e políticas públicas nacionais de tratamento e disposição final dos resíduos sólidos; (iii) descrever a prática da coleta seletiva nas cidades de Curitiba e do Rio de Janeiro; (iv) realizar pesquisa de opinião e de percepção fundamentada na percepção ambiental; e (v) fazer uma análise comparativa a partir dos dados obtidos nas investigações realizadas. O método utilizado foi o do estudo qualitativo fundado na percepção ambiental, a partir da aplicação de questionários e visitas de campo, que foram analisados e serviram como base para a obtenção dos resultados, discussão e conclusão. A partir do levantamento e análise dos dados obtidos nos questionários e visitas técnicas nos municípios estudados, identificou-se que, de fato, os cidadãos curitibanos são mais engajados com o sistema de coleta seletiva do que os cariocas. Apesar de ambos acharem o sistema importante e necessário para o meio ambiente urbano, os cariocas o acham falho, ao não contribuir para uma boa participação social. As lacunas estão, principalmente, vinculadas à precariedade de atuação do poder público, e à falta de divulgação e de programas de educação ambiental para melhor instruir a população. Os resultados possibilitaram mostrar os motivos pelos quais o sistema de coleta seletiva em Curitiba vem se desenvolvendo com sucesso, enquanto o do Rio de Janeiro enfrenta dificuldades.

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / A base desta dissertação foi a avaliação dos resultados relativos ao planejamento e à implantação da coleta seletiva de resíduos sólidos urbanos, nos municípios do Rio de Janeiro e Curitiba, pontuando o que contribuiu para a adoção de diretrizes adequadas, com eficiência operacional e efetiva adesão da população ao programa. A pesquisa teve como objetivo analisar as percepções ambientais de moradores dos municípios de Curitiba e do Rio de Janeiro sobre as respectivas políticas públicas de coleta seletiva, a fim de pontuar as contribuições para a melhoria da sustentabilidade das referidas zonas urbanas. Teve como objetivos específicos: (i) avaliar os sistemas de gestão dos resíduos sólidos e da coleta seletiva nos municípios do Rio de Janeiro e de Curitiba; (ii) identificar planos e políticas públicas nacionais de tratamento e disposição final dos resíduos sólidos; (iii) descrever a prática da coleta seletiva nas cidades de Curitiba e do Rio de Janeiro; (iv) realizar pesquisa de opinião e de percepção fundamentada na percepção ambiental; e (v) fazer uma análise comparativa a partir dos dados obtidos nas investigações realizadas. O método utilizado foi o do estudo qualitativo fundado na percepção ambiental, a partir da aplicação de questionários e visitas de campo, que foram analisados e serviram como base para a obtenção dos resultados, discussão e conclusão. A partir do levantamento e análise dos dados obtidos nos questionários e visitas técnicas nos municípios estudados, identificou-se que, de fato, os cidadãos curitibanos são mais engajados com o sistema de coleta seletiva do que os cariocas. Apesar de ambos acharem o sistema importante e necessário para o meio ambiente urbano, os cariocas o acham falho, ao não contribuir para uma boa participação social. As lacunas estão, principalmente, vinculadas à precariedade de atuação do poder público, e à falta de divulgação e de programas de educação ambiental para melhor instruir a população. Os resultados possibilitaram mostrar os motivos pelos quais o sistema de coleta seletiva em Curitiba vem se desenvolvendo com sucesso, enquanto o do Rio de Janeiro enfrenta dificuldades.