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Environmental Attitudes
IntegratED Symposium on SustainabilitySarah Vitulano, Louise Delaigue, Marie-Lisa Jolin Bill Chatzopulos, Marc-Antoine Tutt-Guerette
Live Experiment1. True or False:- We are approaching the limit of the number of people the
Earth can support.- Humans have the right to modify the natural environment
to suit their needs.- When humans interfere with nature it often produces
disastrous consequences.- Human ingenuity will insure that we do not make the
Earth unlivable.
2. Choose what you like best to write: pen or pencil?
How to approach sustainability issues- Thomas Heberlein: Navigating Environmental
Attitudes- Attitudes and behaviors are key influences- Cognitive fix vs. Structural fix- What are attitudes and behaviors?
Attitudes and behaviors- Attitudes cannot be seen. Individual’s
disposition towards something.- Behaviors can be seen. Their manner of
conducting themselves towards something.- Attitudes do not necessarily reflect behaviour.- Can be crudely contrasted as “thinking vs.
doing”
Goal- Understanding human psychology towards the
environment- To raise awareness of aforementioned
techniques- To apply these techniques at Concordia and
expose a possible idea to increase our sustainability
Cognitive Fix- Educating the public in hope that attitudes will
change and influence behavior
Pro-Environmental Attitudes
- Exxon Mine- Smoking cigarettes- Studying
Anti Exxon Rally March 1994
Education is important but it’s not enough to influence pro-environmental attitudes to pro-environmental behaviors. Ex: We know recycling is important & is a great tool to being sustainably proactive (pro-environmental attitudes) however this information has not made everyone recycle or recycle all items that are recyclable (pro-environmental behavior).
Cognitive Fix example
What is the Structural Fix?
- Changes the social environment that influences what people do
- Focuses on context or setting to change human behavior
Advantages- Does not focus on attitude change as the driver
of behavioral change
- Can produce results by changing behavior- Effective structural fixes designed with attitudes
take advantage of social contexts
Disadvantages- Does not influence attitudes
- Many Structural Fixes require gaining support and changing behaviors of people in charge which can be difficult initially
Example from Heberlein- Graduate student replaced plastic foam cups
with biodegradable paper cups and a rack for China cups at an employee coffee room
changed behavior of people without asking them to do it
after student graduated, the plastic foam cups returned & attitudes never changed
Example- Reducing plastic waste and electricity usage on
campus by removing vending machines (new contract to be awarded on April 15th)
Structural fixes work!
Fixes and Sustainability?
Concordia University’s sustainable future
- Concordia Travel Mug Renting Service- Library Policy- No need to use disposable cups anymore!
Results: greener footprint!
Conclusion- Results- Structural Fixes are the most efficient strategies
in the short term- Understanding human psychology and the
interdisciplinary factor is important
References- Heberlein, T. (2012). Navigating environmental
attitudes. New York: Oxford University Press.- Anderson, M. (2012). New Ecological Paradigm
(NEP) Scale. Berkshire.- Picture: River Biya, Russia – Dmitri Melnikov