Nature reappraisers, benefits for the environment: A model linking cognitive reappraisal, the “being away” dimension of restorativeness and eco-friendly behavior

In the last decades, an increasingly prominent role has been given to the motivational factors that can promote pro-environmental behavior. In this contribution, we focus on the role of the individual’s ability to shape the emotions originating from nature in engaging in pro-environmental behavior. In particular, we expect that an emotion regulation strategy as cognitive reappraisal should positively predict pro-environmental behavior, through enhanced perceived restorativeness attributed to the natural environment in terms of the experience of “being away.” One-hundred and fifteen visitors to an urban park (Parco Nord Milano) filled out a questionnaire including measures of cognitive reappraisal, the experience of “being away,” and pro-environmental behaviour while in the park. Results confirmed that cognitive reappraisal was positively and significantly related to pro-environmental behavior. Importantly, the indirect effect of cognitive reappraisal on pro-environmental behavior through the experience of “being away” was significant. Findings suggest the importance of implementing interventions aimed at promoting the habitual use of cognitive reappraisal to enhance the experience of “being away” and, thus, sustain pro-environmental behavior

Public perceptions of forests across Italy: An exploratory national survey

In a context of progressive expansion of the Italian forest area, we present the results of a national survey exploring public perception of forests across different geographical scales in Italy. Perceptions of forests are assessed in rela-tion to popular beliefs on relevant environmental issues such as countering climate change, protecting biodiversity, and promoting social cohesion and environmental education. Participants (N = 1059) living in five different regions of Northern (Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol, Piemonte), Central (Lazio, Molise) and Southern Italy (Puglia), were recruited in the survey and completed a paper-and-pencil questionnaire. Survey questions regarded the estimated percentage of forest cover, the perceived importance of different environmental issues and of different material and non-material forest products, as well as partici-pants’ perceptions regarding connectedness to nature. Results revealed a gen-eralized tendency to overestimate the extension of forest surface area in the participants’ region, in Italy, and in the European Union. Results also showed high scores for participants’ perceived importance of environmental issues, such as climate change and biodiversity protection, and in their belief that forests could play a positive role in addressing these issues and providing im-portant outcomes and benefits for the quality of human life, such as health and well-being or social cohesion

Are community gardening and horticultural interventions beneficial for psychosocial well-being? A meta-analysis

Recent literature has revealed the positive effect of gardening on human health; however, empirical evidence on the effects of gardening-based programs on psychosocial well-being is scant. This meta-analysis aims to examine the scientific literature on the effect of community gardening or horticultural interventions on a variety of outcomes related to psychosocial well-being, such as social cohesion, networking, social support, and trust. From 383 bibliographic records retrieved (from 1975 to 2019), seven studies with a total of 22 effect sizes were selected on the basis of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Meta-analytic findings on 11 comparisons indicate a positive and moderate effect of horticultural or gardening interventions on psychosocial well-being. Moderation analysis shows a greater effect size in individualistic than collectivistic cultures. A greater effect size was also observed in studies involving community gardening compared to horticultural intervention. Nevertheless, an effect of publication bias and study heterogeneity has been detected. Despite the presence of a large number of qualitative studies on the effect of horticulture/gardening on psychosocial well-being, quantitative studies are lacking. There is a strong need to advance into further high-quality studies on this research topic given that gardening has promising applied implications for human health, the community, and sustainable city management

Becoming a (green) identity entrepreneur: learning to negotiate situated identities to nurture community environmental practice

This paper explores the relationship between ‘green’ identity and community environmental practice. It focuses on the ways in which professional community development facilitators and lead members of community groups attempt to actively shape how environmental projects are locally received. Drawing principally on identity, social sustainability and social practice theory scholarship, it reviews the often very personal and place-specific ways in which appeals to green identity are variously understood and applied, or are actively avoided, by community group leaders. Individuals who have become skilful in negotiating and influencing the presentation of environmental projects to the local community are understood here as (green) identity entrepreneurs. Arguably, it is the situated entrepreneurial skilfulness of lead individuals in negotiating the multiple and evolving (green) identities circulating through any one project, which plays a significant part in determining its subsequent impact and longevity. In understanding the contribution of (green) identity entrepreneurship, however, its relational association with everyday practices, routines and meanings of community and place is brought to the fore. The paper also considers how divergent external interpretations of what constitutes legitimate environmental practice at a local level further shape project identity. The discussion is informed by evidence drawn from a qualitative study of seventeen community groups and seven professional environmental support officers participating in a Welsh Government led programme aimed at facilitating 'community action on climate change'

Flood risk management in Italy: challenges and opportunities for the implementation of the EU Floods Directive (2007/60/EC)

Abstract. Italy's recent history is punctuated with devastating flood disasters claiming high death toll and causing vast but underestimated economic, social and environmental damage. The responses to major flood and landslide disasters such as the Polesine (1951), Vajont (1963), Firenze (1966), Valtelina (1987), Piedmont (1994), Crotone (1996), Sarno (1998), Soverato (2000), and Piedmont (2000) events have contributed to shaping the country's flood risk governance. Insufficient resources and capacity, slow implementation of the (at that time) novel risk prevention and protection framework, embodied in the law 183/89 of 18 May 1989, increased the reliance on the response and recovery operations of the civil protection. As a result, the importance of the Civil Protection Mechanism and the relative body of norms and regulation developed rapidly in the 1990s. In the aftermath of the Sarno (1998) and Soverato (2000) disasters, the Department for Civil Protection (DCP) installed a network of advanced early warning and alerting centres, the cornerstones of Italy's preparedness for natural hazards and a best practice worth following. However, deep convective clouds, not uncommon in Italy, producing intense rainfall and rapidly developing localised floods still lead to considerable damage and loss of life that can only be reduced by stepping up the risk prevention efforts. The implementation of the EU Floods Directive (2007/60/EC) provides an opportunity to revise the model of flood risk governance and confront the shortcomings encountered during more than 20 yr of organised flood risk management. This brief communication offers joint recommendations towards this end from three projects funded by the 2nd CRUE ERA-NET (http://www.crue-eranet.net/) Funding Initiative: FREEMAN, IMRA and URFlood

La percezione della territorializzazione di una marca: il caso Ichnusa

L'obiettivo è comprendere come i consumatori percepiscono il legame tra marca e territorio. Si è proceduto alla costruzione di un modello che interseca le componenti di una marca (Identificativa, valutativa, fiduciaria) con le dimensioni territoriali potenzialmente coinvolgibili (geografica, storico-culturale, produttiva). Il caso studio relativo al marchio Ichnusa evidenzia le variabili che incidono maggiormente sulla percezione della territorializzazione del brand su cui orientare le azioni di marketing

An integrated approach to evaluate PAH exposure

Introduction - An integrated evaluation of PAH exposure should consider different routes of absorption, reliability and specificity of biomarkers of dose, and individual susceptibility. Material and Methods - The present study investigated the exposure to PAHs in coke oven workers (n=100), asphalt pavers (n=98) and ground construction workers (n=47), by means of environmental exposure and biological monitoring. Results \u2013 Personal exposure to total airborne PAHs [from naphtalene to indeno(1,2,3-cd)pyrene] in coke oven workers (median 140 \ub5g/m3), was much higher than in pavers exposed to bitumen fumes (0.6 \ub5g/m3), or in construction workers (0.4 \ub5g/m3),. Urinary 1-hydroxypyrene (1-HOP) in end-shift samples was significantly higher in cokeoven workers (2.2 \ub5g/l) than in asphalt pavers (0.7 \ub5g/l) and in construction workers (0.4 \ub5g/l). An increasing trend in 1-HOP levels, over the workweek and the workshift was registered. A similar trend was observed for urinary 2-hydroxyfluorene (2-FLE) and 3-hydroxyphenanthrene (3-PHE) as well as for some unmetabolised PAH in urine. In smokers with low exposures an important contribution to biomarkers was given by tobacco smoking. PAH-DNA adducts in peripheral blood lymphocytes were not associated with external exposure. Genetic polymorphisms of metabolic and DNA repairing enzymes (CYP1A1, GSTM1, GSTT1, XPD) did not appear to influence the levels of biomarkers. Total dermal contamination of PAHs in pavers, assessed in a subgroup of workers (n=22), ranged from 23 to 623 \ub5g. Significant correlations between dermal phenanthrene or pyrene and 1-HOP (r = 0.41 and 0.55), suggest that dermal exposure significantly contributes to the internal dose of these compounds. Conclusion \u2013 Our results suggest that urinary biomarkers of PAHs, integrating exposure from all sources and routes, are reliable tools for risk assessment in occupational health

Empirical agent-based modelling of everyday pro-environmental behaviours at work

We report on agent-based modelling work in the LOCAW project (Low Carbon at Work: Modelling Agents and Organisations to Achieve Transition to a Low Carbon Europe). The project explored the effectiveness of various backcasting scenarios conducted with case study organisations in bringing about pro-environmental change in the workforce in the domains of transport, energy use and waste. The model used qualitative representations of workspaces in formalising each scenario, and decision trees learned from questionnaire responses to represent decision-making. We describe the process by which the decision trees were constructed, noting that the use of decision trees in agent-based models requires particular considerations owing to the potential use of explanatory variables in model dynamics. The results of the modelling in various scenarios emphasise the importance of structural environmental changes in facilitating everyday pro-environmental behaviour, but also show there is a role for psychological variables such as norms, values and efficacy. As such, the topology of social interactions is a potentially important driver, raising the interesting prospect that both workplace geography and organisational hierarchy have a role to play in influencing workplace pro-environmental behaviours