Exploring environmental perceptions, behaviors and awareness: water and water pollution in South Africa
SOURCE: Population and Environment
OUTPUT TYPE: Journal Article
PUBLICATION YEAR: 2007
TITLE AUTHOR(S): B.A.Anderson, J.H.Romani, H.Phillips, M.Wentzel, K.Tlabela
KEYWORDS: AFRICA, ENVIRONMENTAL PLANNING, POLLUTION, WATER MANAGEMENT
Print: HSRC Library: shelf number 4589
HANDLE: 20.500.11910/6065
URI: http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11910/6065
OUTPUT TYPE: Journal Article
PUBLICATION YEAR: 2007
TITLE AUTHOR(S): B.A.Anderson, J.H.Romani, H.Phillips, M.Wentzel, K.Tlabela
KEYWORDS: AFRICA, ENVIRONMENTAL PLANNING, POLLUTION, WATER MANAGEMENT
Print: HSRC Library: shelf number 4589
HANDLE: 20.500.11910/6065
URI: http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11910/6065
If you would like to obtain a copy of this Research Output, please contact Hanlie Baudin at researchoutputs@hsrc.ac.za.
Abstract
Understanding the relationship among perceptions, behaviors and awareness of environmental initiatives is important for both policy makers and social scientists. There is, however, limited consensus among scholars as to the reasons for differences and similarities among ethnic and socio-economic groups in their environmentally-related attitudes and behaviors. South Africa, which has established a constitutional right to a safe environment, together with the presence of parallel first and third world populations, offers an unusual setting in which to examine these issues. Using the 2004 South African General Household survey, the similarities and differences between African and non-African households with respect to the perceptions, behaviors and awareness of programs related to water and water pollution are examined. Africans and those with lower socio-economic status are more likely to perceive water pollution as a community problem; educational attainment is unrelated to this perception. In combination with perception of water pollution as a problem, education is positively related to taking action to treat water for drinking and food preparation. Awareness of a highly touted program to clear waterways of alien vegetation is strongly positively related to socio-economic status and is much more common among non-Africans than Africans.-
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