Environmentally Significant Behaviors of Reykjavik Residents: Linking environmental attitudes and geographic location to behavioral patterns

• Main Author: Heyman, Noga, 1992-
• Other Authors: Háskóli Íslands
• Format: Thesis
• Language: English
• Published: 2018
• Subjects: Umhverfis- og auðlindafræði; Lífshættir; Viðhorf; Loftslagsbreytingar; Borgir; Reykjavík; Iceland
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/1946/30582

This study examines environmental behavior and how it is associated with environmental attitudes and location within the urban setting. This study contains one primary research question: To what extent are environmentally significant behaviors predicted by individuals’ pro-environmental attitudes and geographic location? Specifically, the analysis focuses on three main behavioral components: diet, travel, and consumption of goods. This study uses descriptive statistics and regression analysis, utilizing data from a SoftGIS survey to answer research questions, supplemented by a comprehensive literature review in similar topics. The survey, conducted by the supervisors of this thesis, has been sent out to 6.000 people in the greater Reykjavik area, from which 780 responses were provided, paralleling a similar data collection in Finland. The results of the analysis align with much of the existing literature. Individuals that express a higher level of environmental concern generally make more eco- friendly choices in regard to diet or consumption of goods, although this is demonstrated differently depending on the distance of the individual from the city center. When it comes to leisure travel, this consistency fades away and there remains an attitude-behavior gap. This study provides insight using Icelandic data into the links between environmental attitudes, habits, and locations within the capital region. This survey is the first of its kind in Iceland, and will therefore provide further insight into the future of Reykjavik’s city planning. This will contribute to both the general understanding of environmental impacts as well as the opportunities for creating truly sustainable cities that account for all aspects of people's lives.