Environmental Conditions and the Fertility Intentions of Utahns

One of the most important decisions a person may make in their lifetime is whether to have children. Many factors shape fertility intentions and outcomes. A better understanding of individual reproductive intentions can shed light on current fertility patterns, enable more accurate population projections1-2 and planning efforts, and improve our ability to address environmental drivers and implications

Factors Affecting Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice of COVID-19: A Study Among Undergraduate University Students in Bangladesh

The global expansion of the COVID-19 outbreak is one of the worst disasters the world has faced in recent decades. This study explored various factors of knowledge, attitude, and practice regarding COVID-19 among Bangladeshi undergraduate university students. In addition, we also look at how COVID-19 based knowledge, attitude, and practice influence each other. Using a random sampling technique and a self-administered structured questionnaire survey, this study collected data from 167 private university students in Bangladesh from 1st October to 30th October 2020. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics (including frequencies, percentages, and means), binary logistic regression, bivariate regression analysis, and factor analysis. The findings suggest that most of the students learned about COVID-19 from various sources, including news media (TV, radio, newspapers, etc.), international organizations (WHO, UN, etc.), various government programs, or from their friends, family members, or neighbors. Most of the students were concerned about becoming sick, keeping social distance, and family members’ job insecurity, followed by the university shutdown and the subsequent quarantine. Many students believe Bangladesh’s media, government, medical sector, and religious organizations played a significant role during COVID-19. Binary logistic regression demonstrates that students’ gender, department, and residency significantly explained their COVID-19 knowledge. In addition, students’ attitudes significantly vary with their religion and place of residence. Students’ departments and semesters found significant in explaining their practice regarding COVID-19. Moreover, factor analysis results also identified several crucial factors in explaining students’ overall knowledge, attitude, and practice of COVID-19. Finally, we found a statistically significant relationship between knowledge, attitude, and practice

Utahns\u27 Perceptions of Climate Change and Disaster Vulnerabilities

Climate change increases the frequency and severity of extreme weather events, making people more vulnerable in a variety of ways1-2. It is essential to determine if individuals believe they are susceptible to the effects of climate change in order to develop effective adaptation strategies. Climate change has contributed to extreme weather occurrences in Utah in recent years. For instance, in the summer of 2022, there was a severe or extreme drought in all of Utah\u27s counties3. Health effects of drought vary with intensity4 and can cause climate related deaths directly and indirectly, such as by worsening air quality which can increase cardiovascular and pulmonary disease5-8. According to most climate models, such events are likely to continue as temperature is expected to increase and snowpack to decrease in the western U.S. and Utah9. A recent statewide survey found that Utahns are concerned about various environmental and climatic issues including increased temperature, poor air quality, drought/lack of water etc10. Moreover, since 2020, more Utahns agree with the scientific consensus that human activities are causing climate change11. This research brief uses representative statewide survey data from the 2023 Utah People and Environment Poll (UPEP) to understand how Utah residents consider themselves vulnerable to climate change, how prepared they think they are for climate change, and if they believe they need to plan or prepare for climate change

Red Wolf Multispecies Justice Publication 2023

Our understanding of multispecies justice is still solidifying. In spring 2023, a group of Utah State University undergraduate and graduate students attended a course by Dr.Kirsten Vinyeta on Multispecies Justice and Indigenous Approaches to the Environment. Throughout this course, we studied the works of scholars and writers from a variety of social locations and identities who challenge Western theoretical frameworks in social science. This publication celebrates our intellectual struggle with this emerging field and opens a forum for conversations about justice for humans and additional species. This issue features various writings, reflections, and photos from students taking the Multispecies Justice and Indigenous Approaches to the Environment course. Children of students and faculty also contributed artwork with multispecies elements. We would like to thank all contributors for making this publication possible. We thank Dr. Jessica Schad for her wise guidance. Our special thanks to the Community and Natural Resources Institute (CANRI) for funding the publication of this booklet

Indigenous people’s perceptions about climate change, forest resource management, and coping strategies: a comparative study in Bangladesh

This study addresses the perceptions of indigenous people in Bangladesh in relation to the causes and impacts of climate change and how they use their indigenous knowledge to manage their forest resources and apply a variety of coping strategies in the face of climate change. This study selected two indigenous communities living in Lawachara Punji (Khasia community, 18 households) and in Dolubari/Dulahazra (Tripura community, 60 households). This study used purposive sampling and collected information through a survey questionnaire as well as in-depth interviews. Findings show some differences between the two indigenous communities in terms of their beliefs about the causes and impacts of climate change, as well their perceptions, techniques, and knowledge as indigenous people in terms of managing their forest resources and coping with the effects of climate change. Tripura respondents believe that climate change has had adverse impacts on humans and that human activities are responsible for climate change, while Khasia respondents hold different beliefs in these respects. Khasia respondents emphasize government responsibility, raising public awareness, and the various roles people need to perform to mitigate the effects of climate change. Findings from this kind of study can provide a deeper understanding of people’s views of the causes and impacts of climate change and related dimensions, including forest resource management and coping strategies in terms of indigenous beliefs and practices. These findings can contribute to policy making in countries like Bangladesh that are particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, contributing to environmental sustainability in developing countries

The link between climate change, food security and fertility:The case of Bangladesh

Climate change is likely to worsen the food security situation through its impact on food production, which may indirectly affect fertility behaviour. This study examines the direct and indirect effects of climate change (e.g., temperature and precipitation) via the production of major crops, as well as their short- and long-term effects on the total fertility rate (TFR) in Bangladesh. We used structural equation modelling (SEM) to perform path analysis and distinguish the direct influence of climate change on fertility and its indirect influence on fertility through food security. We also applied the error correction model (ECM) to analyze the time-series data on temperature and precipitation, crop production and fertility rate of Bangladesh from 1966 to 2015. The results show that maximum temperature has a direct effect and indirect negative effect–via crop production–on TFR, while crop production has a direct positive effect and indirect negative effect–via infant mortality–on TFR. In the short term, TFR responds negatively to the maximum temperature but positively in the long term. The effect of rainfall on TFR is found to be direct, positive, but mainly short-term. Although indicators of economic development play an important part in the fertility decline in Bangladesh, some climate change parameters and crop production are non-negligible factors

Perceived Human-Induced Causes of Landslide in Chattogram Metropolitan Area in Bangladesh

This study investigates Land Use Land Cover changes in the Chattogram metropolitan area, the second-largest city in Bangladesh. Using a questionnaire survey of 150 local inhabitants, the study explores perceived human-induced causes of landslides. Using time series Landsat images, this study also analyzes Land Use Land Cover changes from 1990 to 2020. The analysis reveals built-up area extended rapidly during 1990–2020. In 1990, total built-up area was 82.13 km2, which in 30 years, stood at 451.34 km2. Conversely, total vegetative area decreased rapidly. In 1990, total vegetation area was 364.31 km2, which reduced to 130.44 km2 in 2020. The survey results show that most of the respondents faced landslide therefore; it is nothing new among them. Respondents were identified several reasons for landslide like extensive rainfall, hill cutting, steep hill, weak soil texture, etc. A large number of local people opined that diverse human activities are causes of landslide in their local area and it has impacted on their livelihood. Chi-square test suggests that there are statistically significant differences between local and non-local inhabitants regarding their opinion on whether excessive hill cutting is alone responsible for landslide and whether deforestation is the sole reason for landslide. This study also used four multinomial logistic regression (MLR) to examine the effects of independent variables like gender, age, level of education, income, housing pattern and experience of facing landslide on their perception of human-induced causes of landslide. Findings show that age and experience of facing landslide are two significant predictors for the first model, explaining excessive hill cutting was alone responsible for landslide. Level of education and experience of facing landslide are found statistically significant for explaining our second model that is building infrastructures solely causes landslide. Moreover, our third model claims only deforestation can be blamed for landslide which is significantly explained by three predictors, namely gender, age and income. Finally, we found our fourth model that is landslide occurs only due to excessive sand collection is significantly explained by participant's gender, level of education, and income