Validating Italian General Ecological Behaviour Questionnaire of Travellers Using Dichotomous Rasch Model

Ecological behaviour and its impact on the environment are subjects of public concern and understanding individual behavioural measures to induce sustainable lifestyles is of extreme importance for policy makers to assess and promote sustainable mobility. To this end, a questionnaire with highly reliable items, evaluations of determinants and accurate measurements of ecological behaviour is a precondition for understanding the levers of behavioural change. This paper aims at an understanding of whether the dichotomous Rasch model provides a legitimate measurement of General Ecological Behaviour (GEB) using a 26-item questionnaire as a valid tool to assess the pro-environment behaviour of a large sample of users. A web questionnaire was administered using the snowball sampling plan in the Piedmont region (Italy), with a sample of 4473 respondents. The results suggest that using the dichotomous Rasch model, the proposed questionnaire is able to effectively measure the pro-environment behaviour of travellers. Unidimensionality, the perfect level of item reliability of 1, the very high item separation of 34.22, the absence of larger differential item functions, and the local independence are all good indicators of a valid model. This research shows how a good, validated, and reliable measurement of ecological behaviour would support public bodies in planning environment-focused transport policies thanks to the knowledge of which variables determine pro-environment behaviour. In addition, the proposed approach also allows us to measure the efficacy of the adopted policies.

AN EXPLANATORY MODEL OF THE ECOTOURISTS BEHAVIOUR: MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES FOR TOURISM SECTOR

Concern for the environment, which is of interest to academia, the business world and society in general, has meant the development of green marketing in the last half century. Environment can influence consumer behaviour and specifically the way tourists consume. The promotion of ecotourism, through information and communication, must be based on the identification of the different behaviour models to which marketing strategies are directed, according to needs, motivations, interests, expectations, behaviours and attitudes. The main research goal of this study is to determine the internal and external factors that influence the consumer behaviours identified as ecotourists, as well as the factors that shape their purchasing intentions. The theory of planned behaviour has shown its usefulness because its object (i.e., intention to perform a behaviour, taking into account that in the intentions are the factors that motivate the behaviour), through attitudes and beliefs, is the prediction and understanding of the way individuals behave. A model that facilitates the understanding of the ecological behaviour of ecotourists has been developed, starting from the value-belief-norm model towards the environment, to which a construct related to the theory of planned behaviour has been incorporated, in order to better understand the behaviour of ecotourists. The method used to analyse the causal model has been the structural equation modelling, and the sample used amounts to 403 ecotourists within a country characterized by the importance of tourism sector in its economic growing: Spain. The main result obtained indicates that the proposed model is useful to know the ecological behaviour of ecotourists. Specifically, it has been facilitated the knowledge of the factors that affect the intention to do ecotourism and to pay more to consume this type of activities. It could be useful for professionals of tourism sector to analyse and improve their ecological marketing strategies.

Exploring Challenges and Solutions in Performing Employee Ecological Behaviour for a Sustainable Workplace

Organisations are a fundamental part of challenges and solutions to climate change issues. Therefore, the micro and macro factors influencing employee ecological behaviour (EEB) are a rising interest among researchers. The contemporary concept of EEB has been embraced by many organisations and attracted scholars’ attention worldwide. Nevertheless, studies that explored challenges and solutions for performing EEB at the workplace are scarce. This study explored challenges and solutions in performing EEB at the workplace and focused on qualitative research methodology. The researchers interviewed 24 academicians from five leading green research Malaysian universities. Valuable qualitative data and numerous challenges such as high costs of practising, lack of infrastructure, top management support, environmental attitude, green mindfulness, enforcement, and monitoring were identified as challenges in applying EEB from the interviews. Stringent rules and regulations, monitoring, training programmes, and monetary incentives might be efficient solutions to apply ecological behaviour at workplaces, specifically universities. In conclusion, this study has discovered the challenges and solutions in implementing EEB for a sustainable workplace by interviewing academicians from different departments of selected Malaysian higher educational institutes. Also, poor infrastructure, high cost, and the lack of top management support, environmental attitude, green mindfulness, enforcement, and monitoring were identified as the primary challenges in performing EEB. Additionally, the research also discovered significant suggestions to resolve the challenges when implementing EEB at the workplace, such as strict rules and regulations, training programmes, incentives, monitoring, and communicating change and campaigns. Therefore, the stakeholders related to the industry should be concerned with the challenges identified when applying EEB at the workplace to apply the solutions generated from the study.

Claiming a Boissierian species of Asperula (Rubiaceae), but under a new name: Galium pierredmondii

The identity of Asperula asperrima Boiss., a species usually misidentified, is discussed, and when transferred to the genus Galium it requires a new name, here proposed as G. pierredmondii. This species is described, illustrated and compared with its closest relatives in the genus Galium, namely G. boissierianum and G. moralesianum. While G. boissierianum lives exclusively on peridotites and G. moralesianum on limestones and dolomites, the ecological behaviour of G. pierredmondii is much broader, inhabiting peridotites, schists, limestones and dolomites; furthermore, G. pierredmondii is partially sympatric with the former, from which it may derive the confusion involving both species. Synonymy is revised for the concerned names, and an updated identification key is reported for the Iberian taxa of G. sect. Galium.

Addressing Unevenness

This chapter argues that the role of behavioural perspectives, encompassing culture, psychology, and agency, can provide new insights into the persistence of the long-term unevenness of development across cities and regions. A psychocultural theory of development builds upon person–environment theories that have previously sought to explain ecological behaviour across cities and regions rather than their economies. In particular, it seeks to facilitate a better understanding of the connectivity between upstream and downstream explanations of urban and regional development, and indeed the extent to which such an ‘upstream–downstream’ dichotomy is valid. Such a perspective should further provide an indicator of how and why behaviour-based policy intervention may impact on urban and regional development outcomes. It is argued that it is important to understand the motivations behind such policies, with governments potentially utilizing them to achieve the aims of a range of agendas, from shrinking the state to increasing their sphere of influence through the employment of ‘psychocrats’ who shape these policies.

Mineral Composition and Behaviour of Mammals at Natural Saltlicks in Jomotsangkha Wildlife Sanctuary, Bhutan

Natural saltlicks are used by mammal species mainly to supplement mineral deficiency playing critical role in animal ecology. There is information gap on the use of natural saltlicks by mammals in Bhutan. Nine natural saltlicks from Jomotsangkha Wildlife Sanctuary were purposively selected to fill this gap of information. The study aimed to assess mineral composition and ecological behaviour of mammals at natural saltlicks. Nine composite soil samples were randomly collected and nine camera traps were set up at nine saltlicks for a duration of 56 days from 2 January to 28 February, 2019. Data management and analysis were carried out using camerabase and R software. Potassium, phosphorus and sodium elements were found in the saltlicks. Camera traps yielded 419 independent events of 12 species under 10 families. Herbivores were most common (n = 390) and non-herbivores the least (n = 12). Wild dog was also captured licking salts (n = 1) which is least reported across the world. Mineral composition (r = 0.70, p < .05) and anthropogenic activities (r = 0.60, p < .05) were key factors affecting the visitation rate and ecological behaviour of mammal species. Disturbed saltlicks from Samdrupcholing Range revealed fewer individuals of mammals (n = 71) with disturbed ecological behaviour while undisturbed saltlicks from Jomotsangkha Range revealed higher individuals of mammals (n = 340) with undisturbed ecological behaviour. Therefore, anthropogenic activities at disturbed saltlicks call for planned monitoring.

Consumer ecological behaviour and attitudes towards pro-ecological activities in accommodation facilities by generation Z

This is an empirical study that is based on the results of questionnaire research on ecological behaviour and consumer choices shown by generation Z and their attitudes towards pro-ecological practices implemented as part of ecological policies in accommodation businesses. At the same time, an attempt was made to find out whether the implemented ideas could encourage this generation to choose places offering practices friendly to the environment and thus be a source of competitive advantage of such locations. The description of the results was preceded by an overview of past research on the issue and theoretical background on sustainable consumption. An analysis of the results showed that Generation Z in most cases tried to limit their negative impact on the environment as well as trying to apply ecological guidelines in practice. Generation Z support pro-ecological behaviour on a daily basis, however, this is mainly true when it comes to behaviour bringing financial or health-related benefits. The young approve of most pro-ecological practices in the accommodation industry but they differ in preferences and in exchange for their support, they expect financial rewards. In conclusion, this generation rates more highly accommodation facilities implementing pro-ecological practices and this translates into a greater willingness to stay at such places.

UNDERSTANDING SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AND PRO- ECOLOGICAL BEHAVIOUR OF FUTURE PRESCHOOL TEACHERS

This paper determines sustainable development and emphasizes the importance of educational institutions in proclaiming sustainable development. Furthermore, a research was conducted with the aim of determining an understanding of sustainable development concepts and the familiarity with certain terms as well as the frequency of certain pro-ecological behaviour in future preschool teachers. The sample consisted of undergraduate students of Early and Preschool Education of the University of Zagreb (N = 266). According to the results obtained, future preschool teachers agree that today's society should strive for sustainable development. In addition, future preschool teachers mostly practice those pro-ecological behaviours that relate to energy and water saving.

Musicking as ecological behaviour: an integrated ‘4E’ view

In this article, I bring together research from ethnomusicology, ecology, neuroscience, ‘4E’ cognition theory and evolutionary musicology in support of the idea that musicking, human musicking in particular, can best be understood as an emergent ecological behaviour. ‘Ecological’ here is used to mean an active process of engaging with and connecting ourselves to our various environmental domains – social, physical and metaphysical – and although I will focus on musicking, these concepts may apply to other artistic behaviours as well. The essential ideas from the Santiago theory of cognition, the work of Maturana and Varela and one of the foundations of contemporary 4E cognition theory, are that we as living beings ‘bring forth’ both the inner and outer worlds we experience, and this process (cognition) is common to all life. Music is also a process (not an object), one that emerges from properties of life itself and serves to link body/mind and environment. Understood this way, ‘co-constructing body-environments’ applies to the arts in general.