Perception Of Environmental Quality Research Articles

Growing green: Exploring the drivers of citizens’ participation in Italian urban and peri-urban forestation governance

Urban and peri-urban forests (UPUFs) are essential components of urban landscapes that offer multiple benefits to local communities, above all to those who live in large cities. This realization has fueled the interest of the scientific community in understanding citizens’ attitudes and perceptions towards UPUFs, focusing on the diverse ecosystem services they provide in social and environmental terms. However, less attention has been paid to the citizens’ perceptions and attitudes about UPUFs in relation to their willingness to participate in their governance. This quantitative study aims to address this gap by identifying the main factors that affect citizens’ participation in UPUFs governance. Conducted in large Italian Metropolitan Functional Urban Areas, composed of a city and its commuting zone, with a population above 500,000 inhabitants, this study provides valuable insights into citizens’ willingness to participate in UPUFs governance. Results indicate that citizens' socio-demographic factors (especially education, age, and income) and the frequency of visits impact their perception of UPUFs. High positive perceptions of environmental quality and low perceptions of the negative impact of UPUFs promote active participation in governance, especially among young citizens with heightened green space sensitivity, among those dissatisfied with current green space management and those advocating for effective communication campaigns. These findings can provide a practicable scientific reference for municipalities to refine their corresponding decision-making and communication, and to devise effective urban forest programs.

Influence of Internet Use on Happiness in China: Mediating Effects of Environmental Quality Perception and Moderating Role of Sense of Environmental Security.

This study aims to comprehensively examine the effects of different types of Internet use and happiness while considering the mediating role of environmental quality perception and the moderating role of a sense of environmental security. Drawing on the uses and gratifications theory, negativity bias, and social cognitive theory, the study investigates the mediating role of environmental quality perception and the moderating role of environmental security in the above relationship. Using data from 3162 respondents in the 2021 Chinese Social Survey (CSS) and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM), the study finds that Internet use for information and educational purposes significantly enhances happiness, with environmental quality perception acting as a mediator. Moreover, a moderating effect of environmental security was observed in the relationship between Internet use for educational purposes and national environmental quality perception. Specifically, the interaction between study-related Internet use and the sense of environmental security significantly and positively predicted national environmental quality perception. These findings highlight the complex interaction between Internet use, environmental factors, and happiness, offering insights into policy interventions aimed at improving Internet access and environmental awareness to enhance public mental health outcomes in China.

Crowdsourced data as a strategic approach to include the human dimension in outdoor environmental quality assessments

Outdoor environments extend living spaces as venues for various activities. Comfortable open public spaces can positively impact citizens' health and well-being, thereby improving the livability and resilience of cities. Considering the visitors' perception of these environments in comfort studies is crucial for ensuring their well-being and promoting the use of these spaces. However, traditional survey methods may be time- and resource-consuming to gather significant sample sizes, usually focusing on selected homogeneous samples. Crowdsourced data, then, has emerged as an alternative for assessing human perception, as it eases the collection of subjective feedback and potentially amplifies impact and inclusivity. This study presents a strategic approach for analyzing publicly available and willingly reported crowdsourced data from a digital mapping platform in outdoor comfort evaluations, aiming to verify whether these data are informative regarding environmental quality perception and to identify the environmental factors that people are most sensitive to. Urban parks located in New York City served as a case study. A multi-source, interdisciplinary information framework combined crowdsourced reviews with environmental data used to determine prevailing thermal conditions. Overall perception of parks was well-rated, revealing that their attractions and activities are probably the most appealing characteristics for park attendance. Regarding environmental perception, acoustic and thermal factors are clearly the most influential. Acoustics were well-rated, while the main aspect regarding the thermal domain is the recognition of shading as a mitigator for hot conditions. Environmental data provided complementary insights, particularly concerning the range of thermal sensations experienced in urban parks. The findings confirm that willingly reported crowdsourced data can provide valuable insights into urban crowd environmental perception, presenting a potentially suitable and effective method to include the human perspective in environmental quality assessments, as well as to evaluate and predict environmental-related risks.

Rural tourism perception factors: A case study in the Zhengzhou region

Rural tourism serves as a pivotal catalyst for rural revitalization, with its trajectory influenced by diverse factors within tourist destinations. This study aims to refine the analysis of tourists’ engagement in rural tourism dimensions by leveraging perceived value theory. Focusing on the rural tourism unit of Zhengzhou, this paper employs a four-dimensional approach encompassing service perception, ecological perception, product perception, and tourists’ participation. Utilizing a Likert five-level scale questionnaire distributed in June to July 2023 and employing structural equation modelling (SEM), the study examines the interplay between tourists’ perceptions and their contribution to rural tourism participation. Findings underscore the importance of integrating perceived value theory into rural tourism analysis, enhancing understanding of key influencing factors. Notably, tourists exhibit a heightened perception of environmental quality, with service perception significantly influencing participation. Conversely, while a positive correlation exists between product and ecological perceptions, its impact on participation is comparatively weaker. These insights carry practical implications for enhancing rural tourism services and fostering greater tourist participation, thus bolstering rural revitalization efforts. This study addresses a gap in prior research by developing and validating a comprehensive model that explores the perception-participation dynamics in rural tourism contexts.

ICT Use, Environmental Quality Perception and Farmers’ Participation in Domestic Waste Separation: Micro-Survey Data from China

Encouraging farmers to participate in domestic waste sorting is an important initiative to optimize rural habitats and build a beautiful countryside. Using data from a sample of 2126 farmers obtained from a Chinese micro-survey, this paper empirically investigates the impact of ICT use on farmers’ domestic waste classification using OLS and ordered probability models and examines the mediating role of environmental quality perception. The study shows that ICT use has a significant negative effect on farmers’ environmental quality perceptions and a significant positive effect on farmers’ domestic waste sorting. Furthermore, the direct positive effect of ICT use on farmers’ domestic waste sorting is greater than its negative indirect effect through environmental quality perceptions. Finally, farmers with ICT use are more willing to participate in domestic waste sorting. This suggests that farmers may have a tendency to complain and express dissatisfaction on the internet but still behave in a way that is participatory in waste sorting. The results of the study still hold after a rigorous robustness test. In addition, there are significant differences in the impact of ICT use on different age and income groups, so policies should be tailored to different groups. More attention should be paid to the environmental welfare effects on older and lower-income groups.

A diagnostic study of the perception of the residential environmental quality of the residents of the neighborhood Vale do Sol in the city of Parnamirim/RN, Brazil

The perception of environmental quality in urban space correlates with the concept of urban quality of life, which encompasses daily practices and forms of interaction of the population with the environment and access to basic services and housing conditions. The objective of this research was to analyze the residential environmental quality from the point of view of residents of the Vale do Sol neighborhood in the city of Parnamirim in Rio Grande do Norte state, Brazil, based on environmental, economic, and social indicators. This study is justified by its important contribution to a more comprehensive understanding of the environmental problems experienced by the interviewed population at the household level. To this end, the research is configured as a case study, with a quantitative approach, with on-site visits, through which questionnaires were applied, in addition to theoretical support, in order to obtain knowledge related to the theme addressed. The results obtained indicated that the environmental perception of the residents of the Vale do Sol neighborhood was satisfactory for the indicators of solid waste collection and water supply system, as for the drainage system and health services suggest improvements.

A holistic assessment of indoor environmental quality perception in Australian high-rise social housing

The indoor environmental quality (IEQ) in social housing is commonly aggravated due to poor design and construction characteristics. Within Melbourne, a considerable proportion of social housing are high-rise buildings, for which no integrated IEQ studies have been conducted. This paper examines residents’ IEQ perception in high-rise social housing in Melbourne. Data from 94 apartment units were collected through a survey. Residents were least satisfied (33%) with the indoor temperature in summer, while they were most satisfied with daylight (72%). The most influential parameter over the overall IEQ satisfaction was “noise”, despite being rated the second least important. Sleep disturbances (61.8%) and not being able to open the windows for ventilation (43.4%) were identified as the most unfavourable effects of outdoor noise. Correlations were found between IEQ parameters and the frequency of building-related health issues. No clear relationship was found between perceived satisfaction and importance of IEQ parameters. There is an evident problem associated with overheating in summer, though winter underheating was not problematic. Differences in the share of IEQ parameters on the overall IEQ satisfaction question their equal weightage. The significance of this study is the integrated assessment of IEQ parameters and health impact in the Melbourne social housing context.

REVISIÓN SISTEMATIZADA DEL MÉTODO COSTO DE VIAJE: UNA APROXIMACIÓN A LA VALORACIÓN ECONÓMICA DE ÁREAS NATURALES PROTEGIDAS

<p><strong>Background:</strong> In protected natural areas (PNA), as units for the management and conservation of natural ecosystems, the challenge of economically valuing their environmental services sometimes makes it difficult to improve the design of their conservation plans and prevents a correct estimation of economic and social impacts on the well-being of present and future generations. Therefore, indirect estimation methods of the recreational value are used. <strong>Objective:</strong> Systematically analyze the advances in the estimation of the recreational value of the PNA, through the travel cost method (TCM). <strong>Methodology: </strong>A systematic literature review was carried out, based on SALSA (Search, AppraisaL, Synthesis, Analysis) and the PRISMA protocol (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses), in the following databases: Scopus, Science Direct, JSTOR, Springer Link, Dialnet, Google Scholar. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were used for studies carried out in PNA at a national and international level, in the period from 2010 to 2020. <strong>Main findings.</strong> Regarding the different approaches of the travel cost method, the individual approach provides more realistic estimates and has greater statistical support than the zonal approach; since it obtains the data directly from tourists through surveys, which allows estimating the real expenses they made during their trip. <strong>Implications:</strong> Derived from the complexity of estimating the value of an intangible, such as these areas of environmental services. The economic valuation exercise results in the estimation of the price of the service from the consumer's demand and not from its offer. In this sense, the TCM seeks to estimate the use value of the PNA, and not their market value as such. Hence, such assessment is a support tool for the managers of these sites, in order to: estimate adequate access fees; evaluate investments in the valued area; as well as expose specific approaches and techniques for data processing. <strong>Conclusions:</strong> The variables that influence the recreational value are: age, income level, distance traveled from the tourist's place of residence to the PNA, transportation costs, lodging, food costs, visits to other sites, perception of environmental quality, and willingness to pay (WTP) for the service. It is recommended to delve into intangible valuation techniques, so that society becomes aware of the benefit that PNA represent for a nation, and in this way public and private investments in this area are promoted; since in addition to improving the protection of biodiversity, it contributes to regional development.</p>

Assessing the psychometric properties of a modified global wellbeing measure in Ghana

We live in a world faced by unprecedented environmental change. As such, it is difficult to fathom how we might define, measure, and monitor related impacts on population wellbeing. This is especially the case in low to middle income countries that lack holistic national wellbeing measures but are the most impacted by global environmental changes. As part of a larger research program that aims to develop a Global Index of Wellbeing (GLOWING), this paper reports the assessment of the psychometric properties of a community wellbeing measure, using Ghana as a case study. Informed by the ecosocial and capabilities frameworks and in-depth qualitative and focus group discussions, survey data (n = 1036) were collected from three regions in Ghana to assess population wellbeing across several domains. Using structural equation modelling, psychometric properties of this modified wellbeing measure were tested to show the relative contribution of each domain to overall wellbeing. Pathways between domains and overall wellbeing were also investigated. The modified wellbeing measure showed good sensitivity, validity, and reliability which makes it suitable as a valuable tool for measuring wellbeing in Ghana and perhaps other LMIC settings. Furthermore, while the range of wellbeing constructs showed significance across the three regions studied, their relative importance differed, underscoring the importance of place to the measurement of wellbeing. Multivariate analysis shows a multiple range of factors [living conditions, sense of community, perception of environmental quality and political participation] were associated with wellbeing, requiring innovative, flexible and action-oriented approaches to improving population wellbeing. In this regard, we propose modifications to the scale to enable it to capture the role of place, while allowing for comparisons across space.

How does environmental quality perception influence people's fertility intention? Evidence from China

AbstractThe ongoing population aging and few children are major challenges for human sustainable development in the 21st century. While the external environment is a crucial factor determining people's behaviour, the potential effects of subjective environmental quality on an individual's fertility decision‐making remain poorly understood. Using data from the Chinese General Social Survey, this research has examined the relationship between environmental quality perception and fertility intention in China. Results reveal that an increase in environmental quality perception can significantly promote people's fertility intention. Our study proposes and verifies two pathways through which environmental quality perception affects fertility intention, namely, well‐being and future expectation. This facilitating effect is greater for people with poor socio‐economic conditions. The findings indicate that policymakers should coordinate environmental protection and population policies to promote sustainable development and design various tools targeted based on people's socio‐economic background.

Multifactorial approach to indoor environmental quality perception of social housing residents in Northern Spain

ABSTRACT Social housing users are generally more vulnerable due to age and socioeconomic conditions and have to deal with specific problems related to vulnerability to poor indoor environment exposure. The current housing model does not respond to the diversity of family structures and their needs, and it is, therefore, essential to integrate residents’ perspectives into the process of improving their quality of life, health and comfort. This study aims to analyse the factors that influence the perceived Indoor Environmental Quality and comfort of public rental housing. It also aims to study occupants’ perceived comfort in relation to the characteristics of the dwellings. To achieve the objective of the study, a multifactorial approach has been applied to a sample of 283 dwellings in 16 buildings of the public rental stock in the Autonomous Community of the Basque Country, Spain, with data obtained in a survey conducted in the winter. The analysis of the incident variables in the perceived indoor environment supports the idea of the influence of occupants’ perspectives and the subjectivity of their responses in the comfort analyses and provides new insight into the relationship between the physical characteristics of social housing and households’ perceived comfort.

Built and Social Environment Exposures association with Obesity in Kaunas Citizens’

Background and aim: The evidence for social and environmental factors that contribute to obesity are often underappreciated. This Citizen science study examined the relationship between built and social environment exposures and obesity in men and women. Methods: The cross-sectional study included 1071 18-74-year-old Kaunas citizens. Using GIS, we measured the surrounding greenness exposure level of each home address as NDVI for the participants’ home addresses. We used questionnaires to determine participants’ social factors, physical activity, and environmental quality perception and linked this information with personal data of anthropometric measurements of height and weight. The health outcome was participants body mass index (BMI): normal weight (BMI 18.5-24.9 kg/m2), overweight (BMI> or = 25 kg/m2) and obesity (BMI > or =30.00 kg/m2). We used multivariate logistic regression to assess the associations between environmental issues and BMI in men and women. Results: 578 women and 493 men with a mean baseline BMI of 24.71 (SD 4.71) kg/m2 and 26.14 (SD 3.92) kg/m2, respectively, were studied. Recommended physical activity was low in men and women (15.5% and 14.3%, respectively). The prevalence of obesity was significantly higher among men with lower education, the adjusted OR 1.79, 95% CI 1.02-3.09, while among women obesity was associated with part-time work (OR 1.88, 95% CI 1.09-3.23) after adjusting for confounders. Green space-health associations were stronger for women than for men. Low surrounding greenness NDVI in the place of residence and irregular park visits tended to increase the risk for obesity in women. Conclusions: Our results suggest that improving the social environment and city green spaces might reduce health problems for all.

Self-rated health and perceived environmental quality in Brunei Darussalam: a cross-sectional study

ObjectivesThis paper examines the relationship between individuals’ perceptions of environmental quality and self-rated health (SRH) after controlling for dimensions of socioeconomic, demographic and healthy lifestyle variables.DesignA cross-sectional survey.SettingThe survey was...

Environmentally related gender health risks: findings from citizen science cross-sectional study

BackgroundPublic engagement in the research of environmental epidemiological problems is becoming an important measure to empower citizens to identify the local environmental and health problems and to explain different environmental exposures affect estimates for males and females. This HORIZON2020 CitieS-Health Kaunas Pilot study examines the relationship between urban built and social environment, health behaviors, and health in men and women.MethodsThis cross-sectional study included 1086 18–74-year-old participants residing in 11 districts of Kaunas city, Lithuania. Using GIS, we measured traffic flow, noise, NO2, PM2.5, PM10, and greenness NDVI for the participants’ home addresses, determined participants’ perceptions of environmental quality, linked this information with personal sociodemographic data, and used multivariate logistic regression to assess the associations with health issues (physician-diagnosed chronic disease and self-rated general health) in men and women.ResultsMen and women similar rated the quality of the neighborhood environment, except for air pollution and satisfaction with the public transport in the district. The traffic-related health associations were stronger for women than for men. The prevalence of poor health increased with the increasing age of men and women, yet no significant differences between gender health risks were found in the total sample. Perceived air pollution, irregular visits to green space, and chronic diseases were consistently associated with poor health risks in men and women, yet part-time jobs and low income had a higher impact on women’s poor health.ConclusionsQuality of the built neighborhood, air pollution, irregular visits to the green space, and chronic disease had a joint effect on the magnitude of the prevalence of poor health in men and women. Our results suggest that decreasing air pollution and improving the urban built neighborhood supporting citizens’ physical activity in green spaces, might reduce health risks for all.

Does Water Quality Matter for Life Quality? A Study of the Impact of Water Quality on Well-being in a Coastal Community

Most studies of life quality are concentrated on a country-level scale, while local differences within a country or area are less studied. Thus, the effect of the environment on life quality on a local scale remains understudied and is often represented by one generalized common factor. In this study, we investigated the effect of an objectively measured environmental quality variable and subjective reflections of this (perceptions of environmental quality) in relation to life quality in a coastal community. Hence, we tested the effect of objective and subjective water quality measures using a model, accounting for other traditional variables (e.g., income and health) that predict life quality variations. Our findings indicate that perceptions of the environment are strongly associated with life quality, whereas objectively measured environmental quality is associated with life quality to a lesser extent. Thus, our results suggest that the impact of the environment on life quality is mediated via the way the environment is perceived (psychological effects) and less by the actual conditions of the environment.

Private Versus Public Incarceration: Incarcerated Individuals’ Experiences and Perceptions of Environmental Quality

Propensity score matching and regression analyses of the National Inmate Survey are used to examine individuals’ experiences and perceptions of environmental quality in public versus private prisons across key domains of prison life, with an emphasis on needs, behaviors, victimization, and attitudes. No differences are identified for women. Males in private prisons are more likely than men in public prisons to perceive there to be inadequate staffing and are less likely to report maintaining ties with people outside of prison. Men in private prisons are also less likely to report crowding to be an issue. We discuss implications for evaluating a central tenet of privatization: that the quality of private prisons be comparable to, or better than, that of public prisons.

Does the Protection of River Basin Ecosystems Produce Broken Window Effect? Evidence From Spatial Choice Experiment in Xijiang River Basin, China

Eco-environmental protection of river basins and compensation for damages have been important issues for researchers around the world for a long time. Many studies have focused on the correlations among individual socioeconomic characteristics, ecological cognition, and differences in the willingness to pay. However, no research has been conducted from the perspective of perceived environmental quality. According to the Broken Windows Theory, the public’s willingness and behaviors regarding environmental protection are determined largely by earlier perceptions of environmental quality. Therefore, we used a spatial choice experiment to investigate the willingness of the public to pay for ecosystem restoration in the upper, middle, and lower reaches of the Xijiang River Basin in China. This paper discusses if perceived environmental quality is a factor that creates different levels in the willingness to pay. Our results show that the Broken Window Effect can better explain these differences. Living in a better ecological environment, the upper-reaches public expect to pay for the restoration of the river basin’s ecosystem to a higher state and is willing to be the “first person” to repair the “broken windows,” whereas those in the middle and lower reaches are willing to pay only for a restoration to a good state.

Understanding teachers' experiences of ventilation in California K-12 classrooms and implications for supporting safe operation of schools in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Classrooms are often under‐ventilated, posing risks for airborne disease transmission as schools have reopened amidst the COVID‐19 pandemic. While technical solutions to ensure adequate air exchange are crucial, this research focuses on teachers’ perceptions and practices that may also have important implications for achieving a safe classroom environment. We report on a (pre‐pandemic) survey of 84 teachers across 11 California schools, exploring their perceptions of environmental quality in relation to monitored indoor environmental quality (IEQ) data from their classrooms. Teachers were not educated regarding mechanical ventilation. Errors in HVAC system installation and programming contributed to misunderstandings (because mechanical ventilation was often not performing as it should) and even occasionally made it possible for teachers to turn off the HVAC fan (to reduce noise). Teachers did not accurately perceive (in)sufficient ventilation; in fact, those in classrooms with poorer ventilation were more satisfied with IEQ, likely due to more temperature fluctuations when ventilation rates were higher combined with occupants’ tendency to conflate perceptions of air quality and temperature. We conclude that classroom CO2 monitoring and teacher education are vital to ensure that teachers feel safe in the classroom and empowered to protect the health of themselves and their students.

Traders' perceptions of environmental quality as tools in improving public space: a study of markets in Ile-Ife, Nigeria

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to provide insights into traders' perceptions of and responses to environmental quality in markets of Ile-Ife, Nigeria.Design/methodology/approachPrimary data were collected from 445 traders in five different markets (Odo-Ogbe, Olorunsogo Oja-Ife, Bonfo and Urban day) in Ile-Ife through questionnaire administration. Physical observations were also carried out for holistic and detailed assessment of the environment.FindingsResults showed that most of the traders were married (64.6%), females (74.5%), who were young adults within the age bracket of 31–45 years (39.8%) while over half of them had secondary school education (55.2%) and spent between 8 and 9 h in the market on a daily basis. Using what is termed “Facility Condition Index” (FCI), it was shown that public toilet (FCI = 2.11), health centre (FCI = 1.76) and electricity supply (FCI = 1.43) were the three most deplorable facilities in the markets. Findings further showed that flooding, pollution and blocked drain, each with 22.1%, were the most common environmental problems.Originality/valueThe study extends the existing literature by examining traders' perceptions of environmental quality of open spaces (markets), which could be used as tools in proffering solution to the varying environmental problems of the markets by policymakers.

Cr‐Doped Pd Metallene Endows a Practical Formaldehyde Sensor New Limit and High Selectivity

AbstractElectrochemical sensors for detecting micromolecule organics are desirable for improving the perception of environmental quality and human health. However, currently, the electrochemical sensors for formaldehyde are substantially limited on the market due to the long‐term unsolved problems of the low electrooxidation efficiency and CO poisoning issue of commercial Pd catalysts. Here, a 2D Cr‐doped Pd metallene (Cr‐Pdene) with few atomic layers is shown as an advanced catalyst for ultrasensitive and selective sensing of formaldehyde via a highly efficient formaldehyde electrooxidation. It is found that the doping of Cr into Pd metallene can efficiently optimize the electronic structure of Pd and weaken the interaction between Pd and CO, providing an anti‐poisoning means to favor CO2 production and suppress CO adsorption. The Cr‐Pdene‐based electrochemical sensor exhibits one order of magnitude higher detection range and, especially, much higher anti‐interference for formaldehyde than that of the conventional sensors. Most importantly, it is demonstrated that the Cr‐Pdene can be integrated into commercializable wireless sensor networks or handheld instruments for promising applications relating to the environment, health, and food.