Pub Date : 2018-12-01DOI: 10.22459/HER.24.02.2018.02
D. Stokols
The majority of humans reside in urban regions and spend most of their time in indoor environments such as residential, educational, occupational, transportation, and health-care facilities. Interior settings affect occupants’ health and behavior through their design, and chemical, microbial, and social features. The initial portion of this paper describes ecological psychologists’ conceptions of indoor environments as self-contained and distinctly bounded ecobehavioral systems, with evidence for the behavioral and health effects of homes, workplaces, and other kinds of indoor ecosystems cited. The ensuing sections examine contemporary changes in the structure and functioning of indoor ecosystems propelled by the digitalization of society, global climate change, and sociodemographic shifts toward population aging, income inequality, and anti-immigrant views in many countries. Transdisciplinary action research is needed to understand and manage rapid changes in indoor ecosystems, as evidenced by the increasing permeability of their spatial and temporal boundaries, modifications of their structural features, and shifts in the distribution of certain categories of settings within host communities. Effective collaboration among academic and nonacademic partners spanning diverse fields and multiple environmental scales is likewise essential for developing broad-gauged solutions to enhance the healthfulness and sustainability of indoor ecosystems as they continue to evolve in future years.
{"title":"The Changing Morphology of Indoor Ecosystems in the Twenty-first Century Driven by Technological, Climatic, and Sociodemographic Forces","authors":"D. Stokols","doi":"10.22459/HER.24.02.2018.02","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.22459/HER.24.02.2018.02","url":null,"abstract":"The majority of humans reside in urban regions and spend most of their time in indoor environments such as residential, educational, occupational, transportation, and health-care facilities. Interior settings affect occupants’ health and behavior through their design, and chemical, microbial, and social features. The initial portion of this paper describes ecological psychologists’ conceptions of indoor environments as self-contained and distinctly bounded ecobehavioral systems, with evidence for the behavioral and health effects of homes, workplaces, and other kinds of indoor ecosystems cited. The ensuing sections examine contemporary changes in the structure and functioning of indoor ecosystems propelled by the digitalization of society, global climate change, and sociodemographic shifts toward population aging, income inequality, and anti-immigrant views in many countries. Transdisciplinary action research is needed to understand and manage rapid changes in indoor ecosystems, as evidenced by the increasing permeability of their spatial and temporal boundaries, modifications of their structural features, and shifts in the distribution of certain categories of settings within host communities. Effective collaboration among academic and nonacademic partners spanning diverse fields and multiple environmental scales is likewise essential for developing broad-gauged solutions to enhance the healthfulness and sustainability of indoor ecosystems as they continue to evolve in future years.","PeriodicalId":46896,"journal":{"name":"Human Ecology Review","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2018-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"45673419","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2018-12-01DOI: 10.22459/HER.24.02.2018.07
Irena Connon, J. Prior, Dena Fam
Research examining human experiences of environmental contamination highlights the significance of place in influencing responses. However, a dearth of information exists on how indoor contamination affects experiences of living with legacies of land and groundwater pollution. This paper addresses this shortfall by drawing on evidence derived from an online survey, 10 semi-structured interviews, and a focus group to examine factors associated with lifescape change in home environments. The findings suggest that perceptions of the visibility and transferability of contaminants, and whether such pollution is located in either indoor or outdoor domestic spaces, influence residents’ experiences, in turn. Through its focus on interactions between people and pollution, this article makes an original contribution to research on the spatial dynamics of individuals’ experiences with contamination. In concluding, this paper highlights the need for public health communication to provide clear guidance aimed at reducing feelings of uncertainty within domestic spheres.
{"title":"Danger From the Outside in: Resident Perceptions of Environmental Contamination in Home Environments","authors":"Irena Connon, J. Prior, Dena Fam","doi":"10.22459/HER.24.02.2018.07","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.22459/HER.24.02.2018.07","url":null,"abstract":"Research examining human experiences of environmental contamination highlights the significance of place in influencing responses. However, a dearth of information exists on how indoor contamination affects experiences of living with legacies of land and groundwater pollution. This paper addresses this shortfall by drawing on evidence derived from an online survey, 10 semi-structured interviews, and a focus group to examine factors associated with lifescape change in home environments. The findings suggest that perceptions of the visibility and transferability of contaminants, and whether such pollution is located in either indoor or outdoor domestic spaces, influence residents’ experiences, in turn. Through its focus on interactions between people and pollution, this article makes an original contribution to research on the spatial dynamics of individuals’ experiences with contamination. In concluding, this paper highlights the need for public health communication to provide clear guidance aimed at reducing feelings of uncertainty within domestic spheres.","PeriodicalId":46896,"journal":{"name":"Human Ecology Review","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2018-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44847521","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2018-12-01DOI: 10.22459/HER.24.02.2018.05
Ashley N. J. Douglas, F. Torpy, N. Surawski, P. Irga
The prediction of bioaerosols, specifically airborne fungi, can be achieved using various mapping techniques, potentially enabling the determination of ambient indoor concentrations within environments where people spend most of their time. The concentration and composition of indoor air pollutants are determined by a multitude of variables, with building ventilation type being the most predominant factor in most scenarios. A predictive statistical model-based methodology for mapping airborne fungi was developed utilizing satellite-based technology. Mapping was carried out for total aerosolized fungal spores and the diversity of aerosolized fungi in Sydney, Australia, over four seasons. Corresponding data for a range of environmental parameters known to influence airborne fungi were also used, notably green space density, land cover, altitude, meteorological variables, and other locally determined factors. Statistical models previously developed from the combined meteorological and environmental variable data were used to establish spatiotemporal models for airborne fungi across the study area for each season. Results showed that the models produced reasonable predictions of monitored 1 Corresponding author: Peter.Irga@uts.edu.au. Human Ecology Review, Volume 24, Number 2, 2018 82 aeromycota concentrations; although, the accuracy of these predictions for individual survey periods was variable. Using known indoor/outdoor (I/O) ratios of airborne fungi for the area, the prevalence and concentrations of indoor aeromycota were modeled for buildings with both natural and mechanical ventilation. As accurate manual assessment of the aeromycota is labor, time, and cost intensive, the current findings should assist in the prediction of fungal aerosols in both urban and indoor environments. Additionally, understanding the indoor microbiome has great importance for the health and well-being of the occupants concerned.
{"title":"Mapping Urban Aerosolized Fungi: Predicting Spatial and Temporal Indoor Concentrations","authors":"Ashley N. J. Douglas, F. Torpy, N. Surawski, P. Irga","doi":"10.22459/HER.24.02.2018.05","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.22459/HER.24.02.2018.05","url":null,"abstract":"The prediction of bioaerosols, specifically airborne fungi, can be achieved using various mapping techniques, potentially enabling the determination of ambient indoor concentrations within environments where people spend most of their time. The concentration and composition of indoor air pollutants are determined by a multitude of variables, with building ventilation type being the most predominant factor in most scenarios. A predictive statistical model-based methodology for mapping airborne fungi was developed utilizing satellite-based technology. Mapping was carried out for total aerosolized fungal spores and the diversity of aerosolized fungi in Sydney, Australia, over four seasons. Corresponding data for a range of environmental parameters known to influence airborne fungi were also used, notably green space density, land cover, altitude, meteorological variables, and other locally determined factors. Statistical models previously developed from the combined meteorological and environmental variable data were used to establish spatiotemporal models for airborne fungi across the study area for each season. Results showed that the models produced reasonable predictions of monitored 1 Corresponding author: Peter.Irga@uts.edu.au. Human Ecology Review, Volume 24, Number 2, 2018 82 aeromycota concentrations; although, the accuracy of these predictions for individual survey periods was variable. Using known indoor/outdoor (I/O) ratios of airborne fungi for the area, the prevalence and concentrations of indoor aeromycota were modeled for buildings with both natural and mechanical ventilation. As accurate manual assessment of the aeromycota is labor, time, and cost intensive, the current findings should assist in the prediction of fungal aerosols in both urban and indoor environments. Additionally, understanding the indoor microbiome has great importance for the health and well-being of the occupants concerned.","PeriodicalId":46896,"journal":{"name":"Human Ecology Review","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2018-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"48755257","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2018-09-06DOI: 10.22459/her.24.01.2018.06
V. Kuser Olsen, Gerald E. Galloway, M. Ruth
The interaction between humans and their environment is epitomized by climate change issues. Public engagement is essential to communicating anticipated changes and shifting risks. We investigated one such risk—flooding in the mid-Atlantic region of the United States. We examined the demographics of flood risk management meeting participants and found they were significantly older, English-only speakers, better educated, more affluent, and more likely to be homeowners than the United States Census Bureau data indicate for the region’s population. The aggregate gender and ethnic representation of all communities reflected that of the region’s population, but individual communities were much less diverse. These findings show that it is important for risk managers to organize meetings in many local communities in their jurisdiction to capture all demographically diverse sectors. Outreach efforts should adapt to target younger community members, non-English speakers, lower-wage earners, and renters.
{"title":"The Demographics of Public Participation Access When Communicating Environmental Risk","authors":"V. Kuser Olsen, Gerald E. Galloway, M. Ruth","doi":"10.22459/her.24.01.2018.06","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.22459/her.24.01.2018.06","url":null,"abstract":"The interaction between humans and their environment is epitomized by climate change issues. Public engagement is essential to communicating anticipated changes and shifting risks. We investigated one such risk—flooding in the mid-Atlantic region of the United States. We examined the demographics of flood risk management meeting participants and found they were significantly older, English-only speakers, better educated, more affluent, and more likely to be homeowners than the United States Census Bureau data indicate for the region’s population. The aggregate gender and ethnic representation of all communities reflected that of the region’s population, but individual communities were much less diverse. These findings show that it is important for risk managers to organize meetings in many local communities in their jurisdiction to capture all demographically diverse sectors. Outreach efforts should adapt to target younger community members, non-English speakers, lower-wage earners, and renters.","PeriodicalId":46896,"journal":{"name":"Human Ecology Review","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2018-09-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47712164","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2018-09-06DOI: 10.22459/HER.24.01.2018.08
Melinda Storie, Joanne Vining
Despite the anecdotal evidence of experiences that shift the self–nature relationship, which we identify as Environmental Epiphanies, little is known about the characteristics and patterns of such experiences. In this study, we build on previous theoretical and conceptual frameworks of the Environmental Epiphany concept and report descriptive and typological findings based on in-depth interviews with 50 participants who had experienced Environmental Epiphanies. We present common characteristics of these experiences as well as descriptive information across five types of Environmental Epiphanies: Aesthetic, Intellectual, Realization, Awakening, and Connectedness. Based on our findings, we offer many areas for further exploration of this phenomenon as a psychological function as well as some recommendations for land managers, educators, and other environmental practitioners. Expanding our knowledge of how human–nature relationships function has implications regarding environmental decision-making, the role of emotions in self–nature relationships, and environmentally responsible behavior.
{"title":"From Oh to Aha: Characteristics and Types of Environmental Epiphany Experiences","authors":"Melinda Storie, Joanne Vining","doi":"10.22459/HER.24.01.2018.08","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.22459/HER.24.01.2018.08","url":null,"abstract":"Despite the anecdotal evidence of experiences that shift the self–nature relationship, which we identify as Environmental Epiphanies, little is known about the characteristics and patterns of such experiences. In this study, we build on previous theoretical and conceptual frameworks of the Environmental Epiphany concept and report descriptive and typological findings based on in-depth interviews with 50 participants who had experienced Environmental Epiphanies. We present common characteristics of these experiences as well as descriptive information across five types of Environmental Epiphanies: Aesthetic, Intellectual, Realization, Awakening, and Connectedness. Based on our findings, we offer many areas for further exploration of this phenomenon as a psychological function as well as some recommendations for land managers, educators, and other environmental practitioners. Expanding our knowledge of how human–nature relationships function has implications regarding environmental decision-making, the role of emotions in self–nature relationships, and environmentally responsible behavior.","PeriodicalId":46896,"journal":{"name":"Human Ecology Review","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2018-09-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"45149583","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2018-09-06DOI: 10.22459/HER.24.01.2018.04
F. Eanes, P. Robinson, J. Silbernagel
Understanding individuals’ and groups’ sense of place can provide insights into how people interact with and treat both natural and built environments, and inform understandings of proenvironmental behavior, place-protective action, management of regional amenities, participatory landscape planning, and environmental education initiatives. Notwithstanding these invaluable contributions, the empirical place scholarship has paid relatively little attention to several key dynamics, including the existence and implications of broad-scale sense of place, whether sense of place occurs in lowor mixed-amenity areas, and the biophysical (and bioregional) dimensions of sense of place. Accordingly, this empirical, phenomenological study investigates the scale at which sense of place develops and operates among a subset of residents engaged in watershed conservation activities in northeastern Wisconsin’s mixed-amenity coastal communities. The following questions guided our 5 research: 1) How do mixed-amenity bioregions contribute to people’s sense of place? 2) What sorts of biophysical characteristics, meanings, and/or experiences affect their sense of place? 3) How does this sense of place impact their reported proenvironmental behaviors? In total, 22 semi-structured, in-depth interviews were conducted individuals whose primary residence was in the Fox River Valley bioregion, and who were vocationally or avocationally involved in water-quality improvement and/or broad-scale conservation activities in northeast Wisconsin. Recommended Citation: Eanes, F.R., J.M. Silbernagel, and P. Robinson. (2018). Effects of scale and the biophysical environment on sense of place in northeastern Wisconsin's bioregions. Human Ecology Review. 24(1).
{"title":"Effects of Scale and the Biophysical Environment on Sense of Place in Northeastern Wisconsin’s Bioregions","authors":"F. Eanes, P. Robinson, J. Silbernagel","doi":"10.22459/HER.24.01.2018.04","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.22459/HER.24.01.2018.04","url":null,"abstract":"Understanding individuals’ and groups’ sense of place can provide insights into how people interact with and treat both natural and built environments, and inform understandings of proenvironmental behavior, place-protective action, management of regional amenities, participatory landscape planning, and environmental education initiatives. Notwithstanding these invaluable contributions, the empirical place scholarship has paid relatively little attention to several key dynamics, including the existence and implications of broad-scale sense of place, whether sense of place occurs in lowor mixed-amenity areas, and the biophysical (and bioregional) dimensions of sense of place. Accordingly, this empirical, phenomenological study investigates the scale at which sense of place develops and operates among a subset of residents engaged in watershed conservation activities in northeastern Wisconsin’s mixed-amenity coastal communities. The following questions guided our 5 research: 1) How do mixed-amenity bioregions contribute to people’s sense of place? 2) What sorts of biophysical characteristics, meanings, and/or experiences affect their sense of place? 3) How does this sense of place impact their reported proenvironmental behaviors? In total, 22 semi-structured, in-depth interviews were conducted individuals whose primary residence was in the Fox River Valley bioregion, and who were vocationally or avocationally involved in water-quality improvement and/or broad-scale conservation activities in northeast Wisconsin. Recommended Citation: Eanes, F.R., J.M. Silbernagel, and P. Robinson. (2018). Effects of scale and the biophysical environment on sense of place in northeastern Wisconsin's bioregions. Human Ecology Review. 24(1).","PeriodicalId":46896,"journal":{"name":"Human Ecology Review","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2018-09-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"49074065","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2018-09-06DOI: 10.22459/HER.24.01.2018.03
Thomas Dietz, R. Duan, Jakob O. Nalley, Anthony Van Witsen
Many communities, especially minority communities, have to deal with contaminated water supplies. Remediating such risks is usually expensive, so requires action from state and/or federal governments. In turn, this requires political support for provision of a collective good, an altruistic action. We use data from a Mechanical Turk convenience sample to examine the influence of values and beliefs on donations to remediate water quality, using actual donations to an environmental group as our dependent variable. We find that views about minorities are the strongest predictor of donations, with symbolic racism—beliefs that minorities have received advantageous treatment—substantially reducing donations. In addition, altruistic values have an indirect effect of increasing the likelihood of donating while selfinterested values reduce donations. It appears that support for collective action on water quality is closely tied with both altruism and racial views, suggesting links between research on environmental justice and on environmental decision-making.
{"title":"Social Support for Water Quality: The Influence of Values and Symbolic Racism","authors":"Thomas Dietz, R. Duan, Jakob O. Nalley, Anthony Van Witsen","doi":"10.22459/HER.24.01.2018.03","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.22459/HER.24.01.2018.03","url":null,"abstract":"Many communities, especially minority communities, have to deal with contaminated water supplies. Remediating such risks is usually expensive, so requires action from state and/or federal governments. In turn, this requires political support for provision of a collective good, an altruistic action. We use data from a Mechanical Turk convenience sample to examine the influence of values and beliefs on donations to remediate water quality, using actual donations to an environmental group as our dependent variable. We find that views about minorities are the strongest predictor of donations, with symbolic racism—beliefs that minorities have received advantageous treatment—substantially reducing donations. In addition, altruistic values have an indirect effect of increasing the likelihood of donating while selfinterested values reduce donations. It appears that support for collective action on water quality is closely tied with both altruism and racial views, suggesting links between research on environmental justice and on environmental decision-making.","PeriodicalId":46896,"journal":{"name":"Human Ecology Review","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2018-09-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"48562354","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2018-09-06DOI: 10.22459/HER.24.01.2018.07
Chelsea Schelly
This paper argues that understanding environmentally responsible behavior as a constellation of practices, specifically practices that involve bodily engagement, provides the most promising avenue for future research seeking to explain and encourage patterns of behavior that are environmentally responsible and promote environmental sustainability. Drawing on scholarship on theories of practice, and sociological research on alternative technology adoption and alternative communities, this essay brings attention to the corporeal nature of practice. To understand environmentally responsible behavior, scholarship must acknowledge that humans are reflexively engaged with the material world, and engaging in alternative practices means engaging in alternative bodily habits, routines, and rituals. Empirical research that focuses on the corporeal elements of environmental practice may offer fruitful insight for enhanced scholarship in environmental social science and the promotion of environmental engagement.
{"title":"Bringing the Body into Environmental Behavior: The Corporeal Element of Social Practice and Behavioral Change","authors":"Chelsea Schelly","doi":"10.22459/HER.24.01.2018.07","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.22459/HER.24.01.2018.07","url":null,"abstract":"This paper argues that understanding environmentally responsible behavior as a constellation of practices, specifically practices that involve bodily engagement, provides the most promising avenue for future research seeking to explain and encourage patterns of behavior that are environmentally responsible and promote environmental sustainability. Drawing on scholarship on theories of practice, and sociological research on alternative technology adoption and alternative communities, this essay brings attention to the corporeal nature of practice. To understand environmentally responsible behavior, scholarship must acknowledge that humans are reflexively engaged with the material world, and engaging in alternative practices means engaging in alternative bodily habits, routines, and rituals. Empirical research that focuses on the corporeal elements of environmental practice may offer fruitful insight for enhanced scholarship in environmental social science and the promotion of environmental engagement.","PeriodicalId":46896,"journal":{"name":"Human Ecology Review","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2018-09-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43799558","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2018-09-06DOI: 10.22459/her.24.01.2018.01
Amanda D. Boyd, Amanda Miller
It is important to understand public perceptions of energy systems, particularly those located in rural areas where energy technology is likely to be situated. The general public can sometimes influence the deployment of energy systems through their opposition to, or support for, such development. This paper examines perceptions of energy systems and climate change in relation to public perspectives of “place” (i.e., relationships with the area and landscape). Sixty-nine residents from two communities were interviewed to examine their attitudes toward climate change and energy development. The results demonstrate that sense of place is an important factor in participants’ preferences for energy systems. Participants were supportive of energy development if it was seen to be consistent with their perception of the area and landscape. Further, participants consistently referred to place when discussing the influence of climate change. The results of this study highlight the importance of understanding local residents’ views on “place” when assessing their perception of climate change and their support for, or opposition to, transitioning to renewable energy systems.
{"title":"Climate Change, Energy Developments and Perceptions of Place","authors":"Amanda D. Boyd, Amanda Miller","doi":"10.22459/her.24.01.2018.01","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.22459/her.24.01.2018.01","url":null,"abstract":"It is important to understand public perceptions of energy systems, particularly those located in rural areas where energy technology is likely to be situated. The general public can sometimes influence the deployment of energy systems through their opposition to, or support for, such development. This paper examines perceptions of energy systems and climate change in relation to public perspectives of “place” (i.e., relationships with the area and landscape). Sixty-nine residents from two communities were interviewed to examine their attitudes toward climate change and energy development. The results demonstrate that sense of place is an important factor in participants’ preferences for energy systems. Participants were supportive of energy development if it was seen to be consistent with their perception of the area and landscape. Further, participants consistently referred to place when discussing the influence of climate change. The results of this study highlight the importance of understanding local residents’ views on “place” when assessing their perception of climate change and their support for, or opposition to, transitioning to renewable energy systems.","PeriodicalId":46896,"journal":{"name":"Human Ecology Review","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2018-09-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42727820","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2018-09-06DOI: 10.22459/HER.24.01.2018.05
Samuel P. Hanes, Kourtney K. Collum, F. Drummond, A. K. Hoshide
Increasing use of functional agrobiodiversity, organisms that help farmers, is crucial to improving resilience of conventional agriculture in industrial countries. Literature suggests acquiring local ecological knowledge on these species is a formidable barrier. The present study uses interview data to explore farmers’ acquisition of local ecological knowledge concerning wild bees, as well as farmers’ use and conservation of wild bees. Wild bees are important crop pollinators and an alternative or supplement to declining commercial honeybees. We found that high uncertainty over wild bees prompts risk aversion, slowing use and conservation. However, to acquire local ecological knowledge, farmers eschew time-consuming assessment and instead develop rules of thumb that mesh with and draw on their use of honeybees. These findings illustrate the complex way in which farmers adapt to the challenge of acquiring local ecological knowledge of functional agrobiodiversity in a conventional agricultural system.
{"title":"Assessing Wild Pollinators in Conventional Agriculture: A Case Study From Maine’s Blueberry Industry","authors":"Samuel P. Hanes, Kourtney K. Collum, F. Drummond, A. K. Hoshide","doi":"10.22459/HER.24.01.2018.05","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.22459/HER.24.01.2018.05","url":null,"abstract":"Increasing use of functional agrobiodiversity, organisms that help farmers, is crucial to improving resilience of conventional agriculture in industrial countries. Literature suggests acquiring local ecological knowledge on these species is a formidable barrier. The present study uses interview data to explore farmers’ acquisition of local ecological knowledge concerning wild bees, as well as farmers’ use and conservation of wild bees. Wild bees are important crop pollinators and an alternative or supplement to declining commercial honeybees. We found that high uncertainty over wild bees prompts risk aversion, slowing use and conservation. However, to acquire local ecological knowledge, farmers eschew time-consuming assessment and instead develop rules of thumb that mesh with and draw on their use of honeybees. These findings illustrate the complex way in which farmers adapt to the challenge of acquiring local ecological knowledge of functional agrobiodiversity in a conventional agricultural system.","PeriodicalId":46896,"journal":{"name":"Human Ecology Review","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2018-09-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"49084013","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}