2015 Conference

Full Presentation Panel

Theoretical Implications of Household Environmental Behavior Change Using a Private Well Water Testing Context

Dr. Crista L. Straub

Approximately 23 percent of private wells in the U.S. contain at least one contaminant at concentrations greater than EPA Maximum Contaminant Levels.  Several New England states have a large percentage of the population that uses private well water, and also comprises regions of high arsenic concentrations.  Although homeowners are responsible for the quality of their private well water, very few test their wells, and believe – even without testing – that they have high water quality.  While many state agencies and universities work to promote well water testing, there has been little application of environmental behavior change theory to household behavior.  However, there is growing concern due to the combined force of potential contaminants, increased health and environmental issues, an unknowing public, and lack of government regulations.  This paper explores the relationship between water quality attitudes and behaviors with theoretical constructs such as place attachment, economic insecurity, behavior motivation, consideration of future consequence, and social resilience, capital, and acceptability.  The study site included three regional arsenic “hotspots” in Maine: Southern Maine, Kennebec County, and Hancock County.  A random sample of 2,000 landowners was mailed a questionnaire.  This paper is unique in that it implements multiple constructs to investigate water quality attitudes and behaviors.  Our study incorporates significant factors defined into a predictive model of water quality attitudes and behavior that will increase understanding of behavior change and help focus future programs on fostering these behaviors.  Also, this paper will define numbers of individuals testing private well water, perceptions of community behaviors, knowledge related to groundwater, and levels of trust.  Results indicate that place attachment, perceptions of risk, and economic insecurity play a significant role in water quality attitudes and behavior.  Several options for agencies and universities to integrate these factors into their outreach strategies will be discussed.      

Rethinking our boundaries: examining bioregional identities and place attachment as factors influencing environmental behavior in Great Lakes coastal communities

Francis Eanes

Existing political boundaries are often insufficient for containing the effects of environmental challenges faced by residents of coastal communities, like aquatic “dead zones” and the spread of pollutants and aquatic invasive species. Bioregions have been proposed as helpful heuristic scales from which to understand and effectively confront these complex ecological problems. At the same time, emerging research in environmental psychology and environmental sociology points to the strong linkages between people’s sense of place, place-based values, and their propensity to engage in the sorts of pro-environmental behaviors necessary for addressing these ecological problems. Recognizing this, I will share ongoing research that investigates the development of bioregional place-based identities among residents of Green Bay (Lake Michigan) coastal communities. Surveys and semi-structured interviews, conducted between July 2013 and December 2014, assessed respondents’ attachments to placeat various scales (home, neighborhood, town/city, and bioregion), how those attachments developed, and their effect on landscape values and environmental behaviors. I will discuss preliminary results, including the sorts of educational and recreational experiences common to the subset of respondents who expressed strong bioregional place attachments/identities. In addition, I will explore the implications of these bioregional identities for researchers, natural resource practitioners, and educators who are interested in engaging communities in environmental place-protective behaviors.  

Promoting Climate Resilient Coastal Watersheds: Engaging Landowners in Climate Adaptation Strategies

Stacy Rosenberg, Ph.D.

It is well known that climate change will have significant impacts on coastal ecosystems and communities. Coastal landowners play a pivotal role in the management of land and water resources in coastal areas and their willingness to implement climate adaptation strategies is a key component in maintaining and improving watershed health. What types of climate information do coastal landowners need to begin modifying their land and water management practices to better prepare for climate impacts? What types of climate data and education and outreach tools do watershed groups and other community organizations need to better inform landowners? This presentation explores how Oregon coastal landowners are beginning to think about and adapt to climate change and the role that watershed groups and other community organizations play in the dissemination of information about climate change impacts. In order to investigate these issues, three Oregon watersheds were selected for in-depth analysis (one each from the North Coast, Central Coast, and South Coast). Research methods include key interviews with diverse stakeholders, face-to-face semi-structured interviews with coastal landowners, and a written questionnaire. The interviews and questionnaire include landowner views of climate science, personal experience in dealing with climatic events, familiarity and willingness to undertake climate adaptation strategies, trusted sources of information, and preferred outreach methods. This research provides timely information to watershed groups, local planning agencies, and other organizations interested in promoting climate resilient coastal watersheds. 

Re-framing Climate Change to Reduce Emissions: Perceptions on Energy Efficiency in Tucson, Arizona

Valerie Rountree, M.S.

There is broad consensus within the scientific community that the global climate will undergo unprecedented changes in the next century due to human activities, primarily the emission of greenhouse gases from unsustainable socioeconomic development. It has also become clear that presenting society with information on the causes of and solutions to global climate change is not sufficient to induce behavioral changes, that is, to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.  On March 27, 2015, the City of Tucson Office of the Mayor will hold a half-day summit on Energy and the Economy with business owners in Tucson to discuss the financial benefits associated with increasing energy efficiency. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the success of the summit in engaging participants and initiating action on energy efficiency in the private sector without mentioning climate change.  The study includes three phases: first, a pre-summit survey of prospective attendees will be administered to get baseline data regarding participants’ opinions and knowledge of energy efficiency.  The results of the survey will also be used to tailor the content of the summit to participants’ interests.  Second, a post-summit survey of attendees will be administered to evaluate the impacts of the summit on attendee opinions, knowledge and perceptions.  And third, follow-up interviews will complement surveys to evaluate whether participants plan to implement energy efficiency measures.  This study will evaluate the outcome on participant perceptions of framing energy efficiency as a financial benefit rather than a global climate imperative to understand if and how greenhouse gas emissions can be reduced through alternative messaging. Preliminary results of this study will be presented at the 2015 AESS Conference in San Diego.