Public participation in municipal solid waste source-separated collection in Guilin,China: status and influencing factors

Currently, China is facing critical problems regarding the management of municipal solid waste (MSW). The failure of existing pilot programs in implementing MSW source-separated collection highlights the need to analyze the factors significantly influencing public participation in this activity. To this end, a comprehensive analysis of MSW source-separated collection in Guilin, which is representative of wider areas located in inland China and with a GDP around the national average, was conducted. The research consisted of in-person interviews involving a questionnaire and theoretical analyses in terms of public perception, public awareness, public attitude, and willingness to pay. The analytical results identify the status of waste source-separated collection and influencing factors in implementation, and provides exercisable suggestions for decision makers in both China and more generally in industrializing countries to design promotion programs and education campaigns.     

Do global climate summits influence public awareness and policy preferences concerning climate change?

A survey-embedded experiment implemented around the time of the 2014 annual Conference of the Parties (COP) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (N ≈ 1200) examined whether such summits are able to increase citizens’ awareness of climate problems. This study finds that exposure to positive or negative cues about the COP increases climate change awareness, particularly among participants who start out with a low level of awareness. Neither positive nor negative cues about the COP significantly affect people’s policy preferences. Our finding resonates with Bernard Cohen’s observation that the mass media may not often be successful in telling people what to think, but they are successful in telling readers what to think about.     

An Avoidable Tragedy at the Sea Cliff (Rincon) Oil Field

Three men were killed and four others were injured during a well drill operation on Hobson Well C-10A in the Sea Cliff Oil Field (also known as Rincon Oil Field), in Ventura County, California, United States, on August 10, 1994, as a result of errors made by the work supervisors at the site. The oil field was under management by Vintage Petroleum, Ltd., which was sued for negligence by the families of the deceased and injured. The coroner's autopsy examination concluded that the cause of the deaths was due to the inhalation of the toxic gas carbon monoxide (CO). This gas was assumed to have been released from the firing of high-energy guns (HEGs) using carbon-rich explosive pentaerythritol tetranitrate (PETN) in an oxygen-depleted environment, during a fracking operation by Schlumberger Corporation on Well C-10A. The author of this article was appointed as an expert witness by Schlumberger to evaluate if the coroner's conclusion was correct. A series of chemical analytical analyses were conducted on the vapor phase of samples, in addition to dissolved components in water from Well C-10A and two adjacent wells. Stable isotope analyses were also conducted on hydrogen (H₂), methane (CH₄), nitrogen (N₂), CO, and water (H₂O) 3 weeks after the accident, as well as on four additional occasions from September to December 1994. Control test analyses were performed on the products from HEG firings, using the same explosives as those used in the perforation of Well C-10A in control chambers at a Schlumberger facility in Houston, Texas. The conclusion reached was that the dominant products of PETN detonations are H₂, CH₄, CO, and N₂. However, the isotope ratios (D/H and ¹³C/¹²C) of methane in the control experiments were different in Well C-10A, following the detonation on August 10, 1994, than those resulting from controlled PETN explosions. The conclusion reached in this study was that the fracking of the well at a depth of around 2,150 ft had increased the permeability of the sediment layers in the Padres Zone at that depth to allow the rapid release of a large quantity of natural gas, primarily CH₄, which supersaturated the water in the well. This event caused the formation of a large bubble, which ballooned out of the well to the surface, displacing air in the location where the men were working, and thus causing asphyxiation, which resulted in the death of the three men. The judge accepted this interpretation.     

南充市城郊农村居民的环境法律意识调查与分析

本文通过采用问卷调查和走访调查的方法,对南充市两县三区的城郊农村居民进行了抽样调查。调查结果发现,当地城郊农村居民环境法律“知”的水平中等、个体差异较大,环境法律“行”的水平偏低,“知”与“行”之间存在脱节现象。这与当地城郊农村居民的文化程度和所处地域有关。为此,提出了从“知”和“行”上加强当地城郊农村居民的环境法律知识教育和环境维权意识教育的建议,这也是提高城郊农村居民环境法律意识的途径所在。     

我国城镇居民环保事务参与的性别差异分析

从行为参与、管理参与和环境意识三个方面阐述了当前环保事务参与中存在的性别差异问题;从社会结构的视角分析了性别化对环保参与现状的影响。针对存在的问题和制约因素,从社会系统、社会资源和环境意识三个方面提出发展建议。     

农户对高产农业技术扩散的生态环境影响感知实证

农民生态环境感知对促进农民自觉环境保护行为和农村两型社会建设具有重要作用。通过对湖南省洞庭湖湿地水稻主产区6个乡镇的调查,将农户生态影响感知具体化为土壤、水源、身体健康和水稻4个方面的感知,借助定量分析建立了农户综合环境感知指数,研究农民对以化学农业为代表的高产农业技术扩散的生态环境影响感知,并运用Tobit模型探讨了影响农户生态影响感知的主要因素。结果表明:农民已经意识到以石化农业为代表的高产农业技术扩散带来的不利影响,尽管他们的意识还只限于一些看得见的因素如土壤肥力、捕鱼量和健康问题,对于看不见的影响的感知还很薄弱。以化学农业为代表的高产农业技术采用的水平和持续时间直接决定了人们对于不利影响的感知。提高收入水平与教育水平、强化农业技术推广能提升农民生态环境感知,而农田水利基础设施建设和土壤肥力对农户环境感知有复杂的影响关系。     

汶川灾区居民环境意识现状与提升对策研究——以龙门山镇为例

以彭州市龙门山镇为例,实地调查、问卷调查与访谈相结合,从知识、态度和行为三个角度对灾后公众环境意识状况进行研究。当地居民环境知识水平普遍较低;对环境问题关注度较高,环境态度较好;环境行为差异较大。职业、性别、年龄和文化程度对环境意识影响主要体现在环境知识方面而对环保态度和环保行为影响不大。旅游业受地震破坏严重,灾后物资紧缺,环境教育应结合实际,针对学生、村民、公务员等不同人群分别采取对应措施。     

山海关区农村生态环境状况及保护对策

从山海关区农村生态环境现状出发,客观分析了农村生态环境存在的水体污染、土壤污染、水土流失等问题,以及影响农村生态环境的主要因素,如污水和垃圾的无组织排放、化肥和农药的不合理使用、基础设施差、监管缺位等,提出应从环保体制、环保意识、基础设施建设、自然资源保护、污染防治、强化监管等方面采取切实可行的措施,保护农村生态环境。     

Inequalities in exposure and awareness of flood risk in England and Wales

This paper explores the environmental inequalities of living in the floodplains of England and Wales and the differences in flood awareness of those 'at risk'. An area comparison is made between an etic, objective flood risk exposure, and an emic, subjective perception of that risk by social class. In all areas except the Midlands, the working classes were more likely to reside in the floodplains; the greatest exposure inequality is seen in the North East and Anglian regions. Flood awareness in the Anglian regions was much lower than average, but there were no significant class differences. In the Thames region, despite equal flood risk exposure between classes, the most deprived displayed the least awareness of flood risk. In the North East, inequalities in the distribution of flood risk exposure accompanied inequalities in perception, resulting in the least aware and most deprived experiencing the greatest flood risk.     

农村家庭认知与响应地震灾害的特点及其家庭际差异——以2007年云南宁洱6.4级地震灾区为例

以2007年云南宁洱6.4级地震灾区为例,通过现场访谈和问卷调查,分析了该地区农村家庭认知与响应地震灾害的特点及其家庭际的差异性。结果表明:当地农村家庭认知与响应地震灾害的水平尚不理想,综合防震减灾能力较弱;家庭对地震灾害知识和防震减灾技能的掌握程度,显著地影响着其在震时及震后的响应行为和态度,其中防震减灾技能的影响更显著;经济收入和教育背景不同的家庭,其地震灾害的认知水平和响应能力也呈现出明显的差异性,其中受教育程度的影响更明显,且可能是最根本的影响因素;家庭人口总数与家庭地震灾害认知与响应的综合能力呈显著的负相关关系,但这种影响也叠加了家庭经济文化因素的影响;对研究区而言,加强防震减灾实用技能和震时如何有效应对地震影响方面的教育,具有更重要的现实意义。