In the context of the critical sustainability problem of marine plastic pollution, the present paper presents a quasiexperimental research that explores the effects that participating on beach clean-up has on students’ knowledge,awareness and behavioural intentions. Considering this intervention as an outside of school practical implementation of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), this research aims to determine if the addition of direct experiences with nature within ESD programs can lead to a behavioural change in favour of the environment. Analysing the factors that influence pro-environmental behaviour and the role that ESD has on transforming society towards a more sustainable one, a one-time pre-test post-test research with non-equivalent groups was performed. A questionnaire on beach litter and self-reported behaviour, implemented in two schools of the Amalfi Coast, Italy, indicate that in comparison to a group which only received a lecture, a group that participated in a beach clean-up increased their knowledge and awareness towards marine plastic pollution, in addition to their willingness to participate in another beach clean-up. This supports the theory that learning in nature can have a higher influence in shaping pro-environmental behaviour, and therefore the inclusion of this type of activities within ESD programs can help beat marine plastic pollution.

As environmental quality strongly depends on human behaviour patterns, more attentions have been paid to understand and promote pro-environmental behaviour in the tourism sector with sustainable development. This thesis focuses on online Eco-label accommodation booking as a tourist pro-environmental behavior to study the effects of environmental self-identity and personal norms on prospective tourists’ pro-environmental behaviour. Based on a literature review on the contribution and potential of environmental social psychology for understanding and promoting pro-environmental behaviour, a conceptual framework was proposed, comprising: environmental self-identity, general personal norm and specific personal norm, and online Eco-label accommodation booking, which proposed 7 hypotheses. These hypotheses were tested by a quantitative online questionnaire to collect data and data analysis using a correlationand regression design. The results indicated that all the environmental self-identity and personal norms were positively related to online Eco-label accommodation booking. The findings demonstrated how environmental self-identity affected the intention of online Eco-label accommodation booking via a moral route and the likelihood of achieving this assumed model, which suggested that strengthening environmental self-identity could be an effective way to promotepro-environmental actions. The importance and potential ofenvironmental social psychology for understanding and promotingpro-environmental behaviour in the tourism sector have been discussed.

Abstract The extraction and usage of energy give rise to immense environmental problems which helps to accelerate climate change. Energy is an important resource for the community and there are a variety of different types of energy sources available, that are either classified as renewable or non-renewable energy sources. The usage of renewable energy sources cause less environmental impact than the usage of non-renewable energy, which in turn means that the energy’s strain on the environment is strongly affected by the type of energy source used. The aim of the study is to describe to what extent attitudes towards renewable energy are affected by whether the individual is male or female, by examining the hypothesis regarding how women have a closer connection to nature and to a larger extent shows on an pro-environmentally friendly behavior than men, and if it also can be detected on issues related to renewable energy and thus imply that women have a friendlier approach towards renewable energy than men. A number of ecofeminist believe that women have a stronger bond with the nature through her embodiment as a woman and by her maternal role, which according to previous research also leads to the fact that women shows on a more extensive environmental behavior.Through a qualitative research method in the form of semi-structured interviews has three female and three male respondents been asked questions with regards to the environment, individual responsibility and energy. All of the respondents have an understanding of the environmental problems that exist and what they are caused by, and that individual responsibility is of great significance for a reduced environmental impact, which enabled further evaluation of all respondents' views on renewable energy. Differences and similarities can be seen between women's and men's attitude towards renewable energy, but in the end, the similarities are too great and the differences too vague in order to be able to verify that women’s closer connection to the nature and their pro-environmental behavior means that they have a more positive attitude towards renewable energy than men. There is therefore no basis in my study to claim that attitudes towards renewable energy are affected by whether the individual is female or male. / Sammanfattning Utvinningen och användningen av energi ger upphov till stora miljöproblem och bidrar till att påskynda klimatförändringen. Energi är en viktig resurs för samhället och det finns en mängd olika typer av energikällor att tillgå, som antingen kategoriseras som förnybara eller icke-förnybara energikällor. Förnybara energikällor ger upphov till mindre miljöpåverkan än icke förnybara energikällor, vilket i sin tur innebär att energins belastning på miljön starkt påverkas av vilken typ av energikällas om används. Syftet med undersökningen är att redogöra för i vilken utsträckning attityden gentemot förnybar energi påverkas av om individen är kvinna eller man, genom att undersöka om hypotesen som handlar om att kvinnor har en närmare koppling till naturen och visar på ett miljövänligare beteende än män också kan påvisas vid frågor som rör förnybar energi och således innebära att kvinnor är mer vänligt inställda till förnybar energi än män. En rad ekofeminister menar att kvinnor har ett starkare band till naturen genom sitt förkroppsligande som kvinna och genom sin modersroll, vilket enligt tidigare forskning också leder till att kvinnor visar på ett mer omfattande miljövänligt beteende. Genom en kvalitativ forskningsmetod i form av semi-strukturerade intervjuer med tre kvinnliga respektive tre manliga respondenter har frågor kring miljö, individuellt ansvar och energi ställts. Samtliga respondenter har en förståelse för vilka miljöproblem som finns och vad de orsakas av samt att ett individuellt ansvarstagande får stor betydelse för en minskad miljöpåverkan, vilket möjliggjort för en fortsatt utvärdering av samtliga respondenters syn på förnybar energi. Skillnader och likheter kan utläsas mellan kvinnornas och männens attityd gentemot förnybar energi, men i slutändan är likheterna alltför stora och skillnaderna alltför vaga för att kunna verifiera att kvinnors närmare koppling till naturen och att deras miljövänliga beteende medför att de har en positivare attityd gentemot förnybar energi än män. Därmed finns det inte någon grund i min undersökning för att hävda att attityden gentemot förnybar energi påverkas av om individen är kvinna eller man.

This research is an attempt to determine learners’ understanding of the impact of air pollution in rural communities. The study focuses on the need to teach learners through Environmental Education about air pollution as an environmental problem that prevails in their areas and worldwide. The main aim of the study is to assess learners’ perceptions and understanding of air pollution and its impact in their various residential areas. It is revealed in chapter one that knowledge of the causes and effects of air pollution is essential. In chapter three various factors that are contributing to environmental problems are indicated as a result of lack of knowledge of Environmental Education. Environmental Education does not reflect in black schools’ timetables, nor is it taught; therefore learners are not familiar with the role they have to play in protecting their environment. A literature study together with an empirical investigation by means of a questionnaire has been used in this regard. The data collection methods used proved to be useful in providing insights into learners’ understanding of the impact of air pollution on the environment in rural communities and the role of EE in assisting them to partake in the whole exercise. The findings and recommendations of the study are expected to assist learners in dealing with air pollution in their area and other related environmental issues they may encounter. Based on the findings of the study it is recommended that Environmental Education be actively taught, especially in black schools. Schools should have a plan that suits them to include EE in their curricula. Schools together with their immediate communities should be involved in environmental projects. / Dissertation (MEd (Environmental Education))--University of Pretoria, 2005. / Curriculum Studies / unrestricted

A large body of research implies that modern human behaviour threatens various life – sustaining resources. The excessive consumption patterns of resources by humans has been identified as one of the main causes of the environmental crisis. Automatic and unconscious decision-making behaviours have become deeply internalized among individuals, resulting in unsustainable and unnecessary consumption patterns. Emerging literature has begun to explore the concept of mindfulness in relation to sustainable consumption, and reports on a positive relation to lower ecological footprints, connectedness to nature and sustainable consumption patterns. This particular study builds upon existing empirical findings and addresses the relationship between mindfulness, impulsivity and consumption. An extensive literature review and primary data collection method based on a convenience sample, were used as methodological approaches for this study. Based on the data gathered through an online questionnaire, the study finds that mindfulness has a negative relation to impulsive buying behaviour, suggesting a decrease in impulsive consumption among individuals with a higher level of mindfulness. Contrary to existing research, this study found no significant relation between mindfulness and pro-environmental behaviour. However, there are several limitations to this study due to method bias, measurement issues as well as due to the format of the questionnaire approach, that need to be considered when discussing the findings. Overall, this research indicated that by tapping into mindfulness, individuals may become less vulnerable to automatic processing, helping to break routines and make consumers become more aware of negative effects of consumption choices. This paper recommends continued research and suggests possible future pathways.

Climate change mitigation requires changes in greenhouse gas emitting behaviours. This dissertation aims to provide insights into the influences of behaviour change for two high-impact pro-environmental behaviours: climate policy support and consumption of animal products. It does so by using quasi- and randomized experiments and by monitoring changes in behaviour over time. Study 1 examined changes in climate policy support and climate change risk perception over the course of a naturally occurring event: seasonal forest fires. It employed growth curve modeling techniques in a structural equation modeling framework to analyze longitudinal relations between these two constructs over time, and to examine growth in climate change risk perception while controlling for the effect of exposure to forest fires and other extreme weather. Indirect exposure to forest fires (e.g., media) had a modest effect on climate change risk perception. Climate change risk perception for individuals with above-mean perceptions of scientific agreement tended to increase faster than for those with below-mean perceptions. Individuals whose climate change risk perception grew at a faster-than-average rate tended to also grow at a faster-than-average rate for climate policy support. Study 2 provided insight into the psychological influences on consumption of animal products and on willingness to reduce. Following a comprehensive literature review, known influences were examined using Latent Profile Analysis to identify groups of individuals with similar perceptions of facilitators of meat consumption and obstacles to reducing it. Three groups were identified: strong-hindrance meat eaters, moderate-hindrance meat eaters, and reducers. Validation variables confirmed the practicality of the three profiles: groups differed in their current consumption of animal products and in their willingness to reduce. Using these findings, three group-matched interventions were designed in Study 3. Intervention design was informed by four behaviour-change frameworks. Participants were randomly assigned to one of four conditions: control condition, implementation-intention condition, information-and-healthy-recipe condition, and information-and-substitution condition. Then, they completed up to 28 days of food diaries. Multilevel model analyses were employed to examine changes in the consumption of animal products over time. Participants reduced their consumption by 20 grams of CO2 per day on average. Individuals that were randomly assigned to an intervention condition that matched their meat-eater profile reduced their consumption of animal products by 40 grams CO2 per day on average. Taken together, these studies highlight the importance of considering individual differences (i.e., tailoring) when designing pro-environmental behaviour interventions. / Graduate

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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.

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.

The environmental and climate-related sustainability challenges facing the world today are complex, accelerating and urgent, and they call for change from multiple stake­hol­ders. While govern­ments, busi­nes­ses and other insti­tutions hold a high degree of responsibility for initia­ting and enabling the neces­sary change processes towards sustainable practices, so do also individuals and com­munities. Despite inno­va­tive change projects worldwide much remains to be done. However, making changes is difficult for many people, and even more so in situations characterised by uncertainty. In this study the role of future-oriented ima­gination in motivating changes towards sustainable lifestyles was explored through an experimental intervention design. Test group participants were exposed to a guided imagination of a sustainability scenario in the year 2028, followed by a writing assignment allowing them time to en­ga­ge with how they see their own future life. The control group spent the same amount of time listening to a guided present-day reflection and writing about their current everyday life. Pre- and post-intervention, both groups comp­leted lifestyle question­naires. The pre­-­­inter­­vention ques­tion­naire constituted the baseline assessment against which their post-inter­ven­tion questionnaire results (which was asking both groups to record the lifestyle decisions they thought they would be making in the year 2028 on the same behaviours as in the pre-intervention questionnaire) were compared to check for reported degrees of changes. Besides their expected lifestyle changes, their predicted future personal change and degree of pro-environmental self-identity in the year 2028 was measured. The results show that test group participants, who were exposed to the future-oriented imagination, reported a substantially higher degree of future lifestyle changes and future pro-environ­mental self-identity than the control group, as well as predicting a higher degree of future personal change. Future-oriented imagination seems to be a potent pathway for eliciting future-oriented sustainability enga­ge­ment while avoiding some of the risks of negative spillover. This suggests that future-oriented imagination can play an important role in developing motivation for sustainable lifestyle changes, and that it can be a complement to other psychological drivers for pro-environmental behaviours.