The sustainability of positive environments

Inspired by the emergence of the positive psychology (PP) movement, recent environmental psychology studies have identified a need for further inquiry into “positive environments” (PEs). Recognizing that PP has largely neglected the role of environmental factors in the appearance of positivity, this paper proposes the study of person–environment relations in order to explain human well-being, psychological growth, sustainable behaviors, and other psychological positive factors, in addition to studying the material and social well-being that a positive environment provides. The traditional view of environmental positivity (i.e., the environment as an inexhaustible and infinite source of resources that satisfy human needs) is contrasted against an ecological vision of PE in which the conservation of the quality of the environment is as important as the satisfaction of human needs. A definition of positive environment is presented and discussed, which conceives PE as a context that promotes individual and collective benefits and that also influences human predispositions to conserve—in the long run—the sociophysical structures on which life depends.     

Pro-environmental behavior correlates with present and future subjective well-being

This paper reports structural associations between psychological states, pro-environmental behavior, and present and future subjective well-being. A mailed questionnaire surveyed residents in Stockholm County, Sweden, to gather data on pro-environmental behaviors in water and energy saving at home, universalism and intrinsic satisfaction as motivational factors, and present and future subjective well-being. Results of path analysis suggest that: (1) Psychological factors (i.e., universalism, frugality, and participation categories of intrinsic satisfaction) correlate with pro-environmental behavior; (2) pro-environmental behavior could enhance not only present subjective well-being but expectations of future subjective well-being; and (3) expectations of future subjective well-being are negatively associated with current pro-environmental behavior. An important implication of this study is that expectation of better future subjective well-being may not always facilitate pro-environmental behavior. These results suggest that psychological factors both as antecedents and consequences play a significant role in building a sustainable society and improving our quality of life.     

遗产旅游地生态移民影响的实证研究——以武陵源风景名胜区为例

生态移民是近年来诸多景区为保护生态环境而采取的重要举措之一。以世界遗产地武陵源风景名胜区为例,通过对安置点居民的问卷调查与实地访谈获取第一手资料,从居民感知的角度分析生态移民给安置区居民所带来的经济、社会文化、资源环境、心理及安置政策等方面的影响及其相关因素。构建生态移民影响的感知差异分析模型,探讨不同基本背景的居民对生态移民影响的感知差异性。结果表明,安置点居民对生态移民的社会文化、资源环境以及心理层面的正面影响比较认可;对于经济影响的感知分歧较大;而对于移民政策的感知十分消极;不同性别、年龄、文化程度、收入水平以及不同旅游业参与程度的居民对生态移民影响的认知态度存在显著差异。在此基础上,指出武陵源生态移民过程中所存在的主要问题及相关政策导向     

Testing a tridimensional model of sustainable behavior: self-care,caring for others,and caring for the planet

This paper investigates the dimensions of sustainable behavior, with a particular focus on the aspects of self-care, caring for others, and caring for the environment. Its aim was to test the assumption that sustainable behavior not only encompasses pro-social and pro-environmental actions, as the current research acknowledges, but also behaviors that are directed toward self-preservation and care. A subscale of self-care specifically developed for this research was added to a series of previously validated instruments assessing altruistic, equitable, pro-ecological, and frugal behaviors to examine the personal, social, and physical environmental aspects of sustainable behavior. Responses from a sample of 290 participants confirmed the three-dimensional structure of sustainable behavior. Results suggest sustainability, understood as a chain of interdependences between the individual, society, and nature, begins with self-care and continues with caring for others, and with caring for the biosphere, which, in turn, affords for a more sustainable environment for the individual.

     

责任意识能激发稻农亲环境生产行为吗？——基于情境约束的调节效应

积极鼓励与推广农业亲环境生产行为，是实现我国农业绿色、可持续发展的必然选择。基于湖北省765份实地调研数据，运用有序Probit模型探讨了责任意识对稻农亲环境生产行为的影响，并进一步检验了情境约束的调节效应，以期厘清与掌握不同情境下责任意识的作用机理。结果显示：（1）稻农亲环境生产行为采纳程度较低，集中于采纳1~2项的样本为主，平均采纳数量为1.91项。（2）责任意识维度中，责任归属、责任认知对稻农亲环境生产行为均起到显著正向影响，而行为担当却起到显著负向影响。（3）村规民约能减轻行为担当对稻农亲环境生产行为的负向影响，但也会一定程度上削弱责任认知的积极作用；面对农业生态环境压力，责任归属对稻农亲环境生产行为的正向作用同样有所降低。     

挣扎与妥协:农村家庭缘何陷入能源贫困“陷阱”

生活能源改进是实现农村低收入家庭福利提升的关键环节之一,而资产的贫困为能源的消费造成了约束,使低收入农户难以实现能源的改进以脱离贫困现状。该文借助"贫困陷阱"的定义,将这种受制于资产贫困的能源使用困境称为能源贫困"陷阱",并从农户心理视角考察了低收入家庭更容易陷入能源贫困的原因。基于2015年中国综合社会调查(CGSS)数据,对能源贫困线进行了重新计算,认为我国现阶段农村能源贫困线应为户均600 kgce/a,并发现不论在任何能源贫困线下,收入偏低农户的能源贫困发生率、能源贫困深度和强度均远高于中高收入农户。基于此,该文同时从消费量和消费倾向两个方面估计了家庭经济状况对能源贫困的影响,结果表明:相对于中高收入农户,收入偏低农户的能源消费呈现出"既未省钱又未增效"的非经济理性特征,其能源消费负担实际更重,而消费结构却更为低效。进一步地,运用中介效应模型对这一非经济理性决策进行了解释,考察了心理因素在能源贫困"陷阱"形成中的作用,结果发现:收入偏低农户更容易表现出消极心理状态,负面的情绪和对未来的悲观预期使其在能源决策中更倾向于选择传统能源,而不愿做出能源改进的尝试。这种消极心理在一定程度上反映了收入偏低农户在能源改进中主观能动性的缺乏。正如"扶贫先扶志",政府在推行因地制宜的能源政策、开展能源基础设施建设的同时,也应该加强对贫困农户的情感帮扶,以使其产生尝试改进能源的内生动力。     

Moving Society to a Sustainable Future: The Framing of Sustainability in a Constructive Media Outlet

News reporting on sustainability has been criticized for (1) having a limited coverage of solutions, (2) reporting on solutions with a negative bias, (3) being dominated by sources from government and mainstream business, and (4) promoting frames that prioritize the role of the market and techno-scientific solutions, which leave unchallenged the unsustainable behavior of consumer societies and the focus on economic growth. This study was the first to examine how sustainability is reported in a constructive media outlet and found that articles (1) consistently elaborated solutions, (2) described them in optimistic ways, (3) quoted various sources, and (4) developed a frame that challenged consumerism and critiqued society’s preoccupation with growth while helping to imagine a desirable sustainable future. It is thus argued that this novel, constructive approach to journalism can help move society to a sustainable future by expanding the repertoire of culturally-resonant stories to live by.     

基于结构方程模型的农户清洁能源应用行为决策研究

推进农户应用清洁能源对于促进农村生态建设至关重要。本文将农户清洁能源应用行为视为是一个"外部情境因素-内部心理因素-农户清洁能源应用行为"的过程,基于环境行为理论和技术接受模型,构建出农户清洁能源应用行为影响因素概念模型。利用江西省农户的调查数据,运用结构方程模型从农户购买行为和使用行为两个维度,研究农户清洁能源应用行为的影响因素,以及这些因素的作用机理。研究表明,情境因素(经济激励政策、自愿活动、宣传教育、清洁能源产品属性)以农户感知为中介,进而正向影响农户清洁能源使用行为,从众心理、行为便利性直接正向影响农户清洁能源使用行为;生态价值观和感知因素在经济激励政策与农户清洁能源购买行为之间起到部分中介效应,行为便利对农户清洁能源购买行为有直接正向影响;相对于经济激励政策,农户自愿活动对提升农户生态价值观会更有效;在影响农户感知的四个情景因素(经济激励政策、自愿活动、宣传教育、清洁能源产品属性)中,自愿活动对农户感知的正向影响程度最大;对农户清洁能源购买行为正向影响程度最大的是经济激励政策,对农户清洁能源使用行为正向影响程度最大的是行为便利性。基于上述结论,提出以下政策建议:政府要扩大清洁能源产品补贴的范围,加大农户购买清洁能源产品的补贴力度,降低农户购买清洁能源产品的成本;加强清洁能源知识、环境保护的宣传教育,提升农村居民的环境责任感,增强农村居民的生态环境价值观;完善农村清洁能源应用服务体系,提升农户应用清洁能源的易用性感知;充分发挥清洁能源示范村的辐射效应,增强农户应用清洁能源有用性感知;引导基层村干部、党员或环保意识强的农户率先应用清洁能源,在从众心理作用下,促使更多的农户应用清洁能源。     

SUSTAINABILITY AT THE LOCAL LEVEL: MANAGEMENT TOOLS AND MUNICIPAL TAX INCENTIVE MODEL

The implementation of sustainable development may seem a simple concept when written on paper. However to carry-out long term actions put forward by the Agenda 21 (AG21) at the local level represents one of the main challenges as municipal governments in general do not have the capacity to effectively implement the process. Regional environmental assessment (REA) has shown to be effective in supporting decision-making not only to correct environmental problems due to past unsustainable social-economic developments but also help local governments to implement sustainable actions. However this requires long-term investments of AG21 plans and projects. The allocation of regular and consistent financial resources is one of the main ingredients for the sustainable development process. But traditional plans and projects financed by national and/or international funds may not be sustainable in the long-term because they become dependent on external funding. Research demonstrate that innovative economic instruments such as ecotaxes represent a feasible alternative to sponsor local sustainability because taxes are collected permanently by the government and could be invested in continuous actions. Ecotaxes experiences have provided important reference to structure a municipal incentive model (MIM) to sponsor AG21’s environmental plans and projects on a long-term (permanent) basis. However sustainable development cannot be solely through economic investments. A comprehensive municipal environmental management scheme (MEMS) has been established to support the incentive model. The scheme seeks not only to improve local institutional framework but also incentive continuous participation of local stakeholders at all levels of society. Participatory events and the provision of incentives (educational and financial) are key to motivate society to protect the environment and support actively the sustainable development process as emphasised in the RIO-92 Conference.     

基于元分析的游客环境责任行为影响因素整合研究

游客环境责任行为对于推进我国旅游目的地生态环境保护及可持续发展具有重要意义，已有研究缺乏对游客环境责任行为影响因素的系统性整合研究。借助元分析法，从756篇国内外文献中筛选出30篇标准文献作为研究数据，对游客环境责任行为（TERB）影响因素进行整合研究。结果显示：（1）个人特征、感知价值、目的地体验、目的地涉入、地方特征、环境态度与地方依恋等7大因素均显著影响TERB，个人特征、感知价值与TERB之间呈中度正相关关系，其余因素与TERB之间均呈高度正相关关系，其中，目的地体验与TERB的正相关关系最强(r=0.600)，而个人特征最小(r=0.260)；（2）样本量、文化背景和出版类型在各因素对TERB的影响过程中具有调节效应，其中，样本量对个人特征、感知价值、目的地体验、目的地涉入、地方特征以及地方依恋与TERB间的关系均具调节作用；文化背景对个人特征、地方依恋与TERB间的关系存在显著的调节作用；出版类型对目的地体验、地方特征与TERB间的关系起到明显调节作用；（3）游客环境责任行为影响机理具有复杂性，不仅受到多个因素的共同影响，而且受到调节变量的影响。最后提出若干管理启示。     

农户参与村域生态治理行为分析 ——基于认同、人际与制度三维视角

利用湖北省603份农户微观调研数据,通过纳入农村熟人社会情境因素,构建人际信任、制度信任和群体认同的三维分析框架,探讨农户参与村域生态治理的行为逻辑和影响因素。研究结果表明：（1）人际信任、制度信任和群体认同均对农户村域生态治理参与行为有显著的正向影响。（2）人际信任在群体认同和农户村域生态治理参与行为之间起着中介作用;同时,群体认同在制度信任和农户村域生态治理参与行为间起着负向的调节作用。（3）在纳入群体认同的情况下,农户的人际信任和制度信任对其村域生态治理参与行为起着相反的作用,即人际信任和制度信任之间可能存在一种“替代”关系。基于此,通过营造一种互惠互利的社会风尚,让生态治理政策的内容和村集体行动更能够契合广大农户的意愿及体现村民的意志,可以提高农户村域生态治理的参与度。     

The relative importance of factors influencing the adoption of sustainable agricultural practices: a factor approach for Malaysian vegetable farmers

This study develops the understanding of the adoption of sustainable agricultural practices (SAPs) by investigating the relative importance of a set of multidimensional factors in the Malaysian vegetable production sector. A factor approach is deployed to identify explanatory indicators within an integrative framework that is synthesized from the theory of interpersonal behavior and the theory of diffusion of innovation. We achieved this by analyzing a logistic regression model for the adoption of six individual SAPs (conservation tillage, intercropping, cover crops/mulches, crop rotation, organic fertilizers/composts, and integrated pest management). The findings indicate that adoption depends on a range of socio-economic, agro-ecological, institutional, informational, and psychological factors, as well as the perceived attributes of SAPs. Fundamental policy understanding of the issue should, therefore, be multidisciplinary. In addition, standardized coefficients reveal that the impact of statistically significant factors on adoption is unequal. In general, the most influential factor is the asymmetric distribution of resources across geographical locations. This is followed by financial capital and a number of factors, including the workforce size, the usefulness of information, Chinese ethnicity, and the perceived relative advantage of SAPs. Guided by this prioritization understanding, future SAPs promotion now has a better opportunity to target the more important areas. Similar research effort should be made to steer sustainable agriculture internationally.     

Sustainable agro-forestry in Myanmar: from intentions to behavior

Environmental degradation, natural disasters, and urbanization have intensified pressure on Myanmar??s once unparalleled forests. This contrastive study of 200 households in two eco-marketing zones in Myanmar (accessible Central Myanmar vs. isolated Rakhine State) uses regression analysis to test three hypotheses derived from the previous literature to explain behavioral intentions and positive/negative environmental behavior. All three hypotheses were rejected, suggesting strong country specificity in selecting optimal behavior-based policies for forest conservation and non-destruction. Policy orientations were formulated to help reverse environmental degradation, promote community-oriented activities toward positive environmental behaviors, and provide sustainable pathways out of poverty for rural households. The main problem in Central Myanmar emerges as one of motivation, which could be promoted by public awareness programs, outside employment and financial viability. In Rakhine State, where the environmental footprint is heavier, policies should empower conservation by providing both technologies and the feeling of self-efficacy, particularly on the part of older people operating non-specialized farms close to the road. In the absence of pro-active government, these results can help bring the voice of rural Myanmar villagers to world attention.     

Political Participation and Pleasure in Green Lifestyle Journalism

This article examines the reportage of green lifestyle practices across the online sites of major British newspapers. The articulation of “green lifestyle journalism” in the study is suggestive of its complex identity, given its implication in existing orders of consumption while also expressive of emerging everyday practices that potentially and variously challenge those orders of consumption. The study enquires into whether such green lifestyle journalism stories are, in fact, reported across different online sites, and if so, in which publications and how such stories are classified within online menus. It also examines the range of reported environmental lifestyle practices and how they are attributed with meaning, including their engagement with the concept of pleasure and its association with political participation. The study reveals that the pleasures associated with sustainable living are often marginalized, and instead an ethical consumer is commonly posited who is variously cognitively deficient, worried about the environmental consequences of their everyday behavior, or concerned about their inability to realize their desires to engage in sustainable lifestyle practices. The article also examines those instances when the pleasures of a more sustainable lifestyle are represented as deriving from the implementation of environmental practices and technologies in everyday, domestic contexts, and also when they are illustrated as the product of civic and political engagements with issues of sustainability.     

Developing Communication Strategies for Mitigating Actions Against Global Warming: Linking Framing and a Dual Processing Model

Although there is increasing public awareness of global warming, there is a gap between such perception and relevant actions to combat the problem. In order to develop effective strategies for facilitating public actions, in this paper we draw upon framing theory and a dual processing model. Based on an experiment involving 261 participants from a large public university in Taiwan, this study found that by framing global warming as a local issue, communication messages can trigger both analytic (issue relevance) and affective (negative emotions) appraisals, which, in turn, will increase people's intentions to take actions. This study provides important insights for government and environmental groups when designing communication campaigns on this issue.     

Accounting for human behavior,local conditions and organizational constraints in humanitarian development models

The current trend in foreign aid is toward small-scale sustainable development projects in partnership with defined communities. However, these projects are subject to the influences of self-interested human behavior, poorly defined community structures and resources and organizational constraints that can prevent full realization of development models. Under these constraints, attempting participatory community development models to the exclusion of other techniques may not be the most effective way to achieve positive change. Instead, development agencies should consider adopting other proven elements of development in combination with the spirit of community development to achieve a positive impact within the community and organizational structures and ensure accountability for success. A small-scale attempted, sustainable development case study in Rwanda is reviewed, as well as a new concept for larger scale development integrating ‘carbon credits’. Additionally, a development accreditation organization is proposed to ensure additional accountability in this field.     

城市自然景区游客环境责任行为影响因素研究

城市自然景区是城市中不可多得的旅游资源和游憩空间,游客旅游行为对城市自然景区的游憩冲击一直是城市旅游管理亟待解决的棘手问题,研究游客的环境责任行为是控制游憩负面冲击,增强城市自然景区可持续发展能力的有效途径。本研究在国内外文献综述和实践观察基础上,将游客社会责任意识引入游客环境冲击感知和环境责任行为的关系研究中,建立了包含生态环境冲击感知、不友善行为感知、游客冲突感知和设施管理冲击感知四个游憩冲击感知变量,自我约束行为和保护促进行为两个环境责任行为变量的"游憩冲击感知—社会责任意识—环境责任行为"理论模型,应用问卷调查和结构方程模型,以长沙岳麓山国家5A级景区为案例,对城市自然景区游客环境责任行为的影响因素及其相互关系展开定量实证研究。研究发现:(1)游客游憩冲击感知对环境责任行为的直接影响作用较小,生态环境冲击感知对环境保护促进行为具有显著正向影响;(2)游客社会责任意识对环境自我约束行为具有显著正向影响,其在游客环境冲击感知、设施管理冲击感知、游客冲突感知与环境责任行为的影响关系中起中介作用;(3)游客冲击感知对社会责任意识的影响主要表现为游客生态环境冲击感知和设施管理冲击感知对游客社会责任意识具有显著的正向影响,而游客冲突感知对游客社会责任意识具有显著的负向影响。根据研究结论,文章最后指出城市自然景区游客环境责任行为若干管理启示。     

Strategic thinking on sustainability: challenges and sectoral roles

This paper focuses on identified challenges for sustainable development across various sectors and the actions needed by different institutions and individuals for the achievement of a sustainable path. For finding solutions that impede sustainable development, emphasis is given to collaborative, inter- and trans-disciplinary problem-solving approaches. The ‘ecological modernization’ view is based on the belief that science and technology will result in continuous improvement in human welfare, while the emerging postmodern ‘ecological paradigm’ also emphasizes harmony with nature and other actors. Global societies are in the midst of a number of challenges: (1) implementation of existing and new hard- and soft-law instruments, (2) the degradation of natural resources, (3) an inadequate global mechanism for handling environmental and social responsibilities by the international community, (4) an unbalanced distribution of wealth, locally and internationally, (5) unethical and unsustainable business practices, (6) consequent unethical and unsustainable consumer practices, (7) selective application of ethical principles by rich countries and (8) the absence of norms of good conduct by powerful and wealthy peoples pertaining to sustainable development. Governments, civil societies, academicians, indigenous peoples, communities, businesses and international organizations need to become engaged in the formulation and enforcement of environmentally and ecologically sound development policies along with relevant research, education, training, awareness and a change in social values as provided in the Earth Charter to support actions for sustainable development.     

Environmental self-efficacy, attitude and behavior among small scale farmers in Zambia

The rural livelihood system in Zambia is essentially agriculture, and agriculture is the main link between people and their environment. Through agricultural activities, people seek to husband the available soil, water and biological resources so as to ‘harvest’ a livelihood for themselves. The aim of this study is to examine Zambian farmers’ awareness and attitude toward the degradation of the environment and their relationships with a set of beliefs to evaluate their perceived capacity to take actions to improve the environment. Results of the study revealed that perception of the severity of environmental degradation had a positive influence on both awareness of and attitude toward land degradation (β = 0.47; p < .001). Perception of susceptibility and benefits significantly influence farmers’ attitude toward environmental degradation (β = 0.51; p < .001). Awareness of environmental degradation is a significant precursor of environmental self-efficacy and behavior (β = 0.38; p < .001). Increasing severity of environmental degradation tends to promote a positive attitude of Zambian farmers toward the environment (β = 0.27; p < .001). Greater awareness of environmental degradation enhances farmers’ capacity in making decisions to improve the situation. Greater environmental awareness leads to greater involvement in land management programs. Greater awareness of the degradation of the environment leads to a more positive environmental behavior. The more individuals are aware of the existence of the degradation of the environment and of its consequences, the more likely they are to do something about it in order to ameliorate the situation (β = 0.36; p < .001). Farmers’ environmental self-efficacy also plays a significant role in their decision to change their behavior. Greater perception of one’s capability to improve the environment is significantly associated with a more positive environmental behavior (β = .39; p < .001).     

Lean framework for planning redesign proposals to optimise EOL environmental behaviour in WEEE products

The aim of this research was to define a sequence of actions to guide redesign propositions for electrical and electronic equipment products, which minimise negative consequences to the environment after the end of their useful life. Current practices mainly encourage the examination of individual problems as disassembly process and identification of suitable product end-of-life (EOL) treatment strategies. There also exist previous studies that try to incorporate EOL concerns in product design phase. In most cases, the main problem is the limited available EOL information because of its delayed retrieval. The proposed method focuses primarily on minimising this problem. The steps of the analysis performed include the selection of the optimal EOL treatment strategy and, afterwards, the evaluation of its results concerning the environment. In parallel, product design characteristics are grouped and examined concerning their expected significance for the environment in the EOL stage. The results from the previous stages are combined and product improvement actions are proposed for further examination in the redesign stage. The general framework used to conduct all these actions is lean thinking methodology. In the end, results concerning the application of the proposed method on a distribution transformer are presented.