Exploring the Effect of Environmental Programs on Primary School Pupils’ Knowledge and Connectedness Toward Nature

In recent years, environmental education has focused on developing pupils’ knowledge of the natural environment rather than enhancing their connectedness with nature, which could have a greater contribution to addressing the environmental problems caused by human activity. This study explores the impact of an environmental education program on participants’ nature connectedness using Schultz’s Inclusion of Nature in Self emotional scale (INS). The analysis of data collected from 283 primary school students indicated the positive effect of outdoor activities on pupils’ knowledge and awareness. In addition, it was found that students with previous experience of environmental education programs tend to feel more connected with nature but also retain the knowledge obtained compared to other students

Can the "Euro-leaf" logo affect consumers' willingness-to-buy and willingness-to-pay for organic food and attract consumers' preferences? An empirical study in Greece

The "Euro-leaf" organic certification logo was adopted and made compulsory by the European Union (EU) a few years ago; the level of consumers' recognition of this logo has been explored. This paper provides important insights into the effectiveness of the logo in the Greek market. The "Euro-leaf" logo was compared with the two previous EU organic logos; i.e., the voluntary "Organic Farming" and the withdrawn "Bio". In total, 472 face-to-face interviews were conducted using actual presentations of five officially certified food products. The aim of this research was to investigate the consumers' willingness-to-buy (WTB), willingness-to-pay (WTP), and their preference towards each of the three logos used for the certification of organic products. Our analysis concludes that for the time being the new logo has failed to develop into a powerful instrument for affecting consumers' WTB and WTP. Furthermore, it was found to have been the least influential factor that determined their preferences. Design changes and improvements might be necessary in order to better communicate the organic food message.</p