Abstract
The ever-increasing awareness of the population regarding environmental issues, and especially pollution, is a relatively recent phenomenon. Several authors have considered these relationships within a phenomenological framework. As a preliminary consideration, we have attempted in this study to isolate geographical sectors with variable exposure to air pollution. We have taken readings from seven stations for the period of January 1977 to December 1980; with the help of the difference of means test, we have singled out the significant variants. Based on these findings, we have used the gravity model to determine the strong, average, and weak sectors of exposure to total dust concentration in the air.
During the summer of 1980, we submitted a stratified sampling embracing 229 persons, compiled by a telephone questionnaire, with a view to assessing to what extent the population was concerned by pollution in the surrounding air, evaluating public opinion on alternate solutions to resolve this problem, and generally investigating whether the public conscience was sufficiently crystallized to embark upon local environmental protection measures. The Quebec mining town of Thetford Mines, an important centre for asbestos extraction, was used for this investigation.
The findings indicate that the population has a generally well-perceived notion of pollution even if water pollution was stressed more than air pollution. However, the perception of air pollution is dependent on distance from the mine and consequently, on exposure sectors to total dust concentration in the air. We assembled, into three groups, some 14 alternate means to attack pollution. The most exposed sector favoured indirect actions, while in other sectors direct measures were accented. Socioeconomic standing and especially education level help explain perceived differences between types of pollution, whereas sex and age are statistically significant for the choice of alternate means. Length of residence has very little influence. Generally, it does not seem that the respondents' opinion are clearly and coherently crystallized. This is understandable if we accept that the respondents appear to dissociate water from air pollution. There therefore exists a lack of apparent agreement between attitudes concerning means and attitudes concerning ends.
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This research has been subsidized by the Department of Education of Quebec (FCAC programme, 1980–1981)
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Thouez, J.P., Singh, B. Perceptions and attitudes to air pollution in an asbestos mining town. GeoJournal 8, 123–128 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00231490
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00231490