Suchergebnisse

With the growing interest in using street sweeping as a tool in environmental management, and with increased problems in managing street sweeping waste, the need for a comprehensive resource for city managers and environmental professionals has become necessary. This examination of the science, policy, and management of street sweeping critiques policy issues and waste management problems associated with urban sediment removal. Aimed at a broad audience, Urban Sediment Removal: The Science, Policy, and Management of Street Sweeping, provides much-needed solutions through a series of case studies dealing with every aspect - storm water quality improvement and sweeper-type testing, to name but two - for this vexing policy issue. Researchers and professionals alike will find this to be an invaluable resource

AbstractThe ubiquitous nature of disasters presents many challenges in providing effective emergency response to build community sustainability. Limited availability of resources, the need to coordinate and distribute relief aid, and the involvement of different organizations, especially at the international level, complicate policy and response efforts. The goal of this research is to model the effectiveness of emergency response provided by one sector, humanitarian organizations. This project looks at response to a flood in Agadez, Niger, and an adjacent rural community. Following the disaster, a non‐governmental organization, Shelter Box, responded immediately, distributing tents, cooking utensils, and supplies to survivors. A questionnaire was conducted of 100 households that received such aid. Results show that such temporary disaster relief helped recipients feel safe, helped rebuild lives, and helped make families feel normal again. The tents and supplies had been put to various uses; many still being used as dwellings while others were stored for cooler seasons. Emergency response was particularly effective in rural areas, where supplies were utilized to the fullest extent. These baseline indicators will guide further research to determine the effectiveness of humanitarian aid under different disaster scenarios and in contrasting contexts, and hence lead to improved policies.

The 21st century presents many challenges to the hazard manager; dynamic climatic conditions combined with population growth, rapid urbanization, and changing socio-economic relationships are reshaping disaster impacts, community responses, and social safety mechanisms. Indeed, human vulnerability is constantly restructured by the ongoing interplay of physical, social, economic, and political forces. At the same time, reducing vulnerability and enhancing community resilience require policies aimed at mitigating the consequences of disasters as they affect different locations and different grou

The goal of this research was to model the relationship between stress and natural disasters, with a view to explaining levels of stress among women. Following flooding in Iowa, in 1993, two in-depth questionnaire surveys were administered, one to residents in high flood exposure areas, and another to the general population as a control. Results indicated that gender plays a significant role in interpreting stress responses to natural hazards, with women consistently exhibiting greater stress than men. However, it was evident that a complex web of factors influenced stress levels including marital status, structure of the family unit, age, socio-economic status, health, levels of social involvement, and degree of hazard experience. These findings suggest that more research should focus on determining structural constraints that exacerbate stress levels for women.

Studies of mental health have indicated that the stress associated with living in hazardous areas is related, in part, to economic status, gender, kinship relationships, physical health, sociopsychological traits, community structure, and familiarity or experience with the hazard. This research modeled stress variability as manifested through expressed levels of anxiety, depression, and day-to-day function-ability in a flood-prone environment. A telephone questionnaire was used to collect data from adult flood victims in a medium-size midwestern town, 3 months after the floods of 1993, as part of a comprehensive survey of how stress fluctuates over time. Standard measures of anxiety, depression, and stress were incorporated into the survey instrument for comparison purposes. A large percentage (71%) of respondents displayed symptoms of post-traumatic stress. Traditional predictors were not significant, for stress symptoms appeared equally across gender, income, and age stratifications. The results showed that previous health conditions, particularly anxiety, employment status, and propensity to interpret the flood negatively were significant predictors for high levels of post disaster stress.

AbstractParticular social factors can limit or promote adaptive capacity and resilience in hazardous environments. Understanding these factors is essential for developing planning tools for risk reduction and response. In this qualitative study, focus groups are used to learn about homeowners' experiences with a disturbance event, as well as their perceptions and expectations regarding local climate adaptation. The analysis provides insights about how risk perceptions, insurance practices, and social networks may influence individuals' willingness and ability to cope with a disaster. Potential social limits to adaptation among participants included inaccurate risk perceptions based on experiences and feelings of helplessness, and a lack of political trust at the state level. Existing social resources that may be more formally leveraged to enhance adaptive capacity include knowledge reserves of long-term residents, strong "bonding capital," and trust in local, nonelected government employees. The study concludes that social dimensions of adaptation, including individuals' values, beliefs, and social norms, can have a powerful influence on the effectiveness of local adaptation planning in the face of hazards and global environmental change.

AbstractStudents have been described as being both particularly vulnerable to natural disasters and highly resilient in recovery. In addition, they often have been treated as a distinct, homogeneous group sharing similar characteristics. This research tests these ideas through an examination of hurricane-related perceptions and preparations of students in a hurricane-prone area. A survey of over 500 undergraduate students (15% on-campus residents, 85% off campus) was conducted at the University of South Florida, a large, metropolitan-based university located in Tampa Bay, Florida, near the Gulf Coast. Following Mann–Whitney and Kruskal–Wallis tests, results showed that students were ill prepared for hurricanes and lacked specific knowledge of the risk. There were small but statistically significant differences in mean responses with respect to gender, age, and ethnicity on specific questions, while ethnicity most strongly warrants future research. Whether the magnitude of statistical differences results in behavioral differences is unclear. Using discriminant function analysis, attempts to identify heterogeneous subgroups based on gender, ethnicity, and age likewise found weak to moderate significant differences, supporting the contention that students are largely homogeneous with regard to certain aspects of hurricane perceptions and preparedness, though again ethnicity demands closer attention in subsequent studies.

"This new edition of Natural Hazards represents more than a simple update of the literature--it is not just a litany of disasters documenting the foibles of humans and their interactions with the natural environment--it is instead a development of the critical thinking espoused in the original text combined with emerging new ideas in hazards research. It builds on the original while encompassing new models and theoretical frameworks, along with practical guidelines that incorporate concepts of human resilience in hazardous conditions. The authors also provide numerous cases from around the world to highlight the complexities associated with understanding natural hazards. Survival amid catastrophe is a story the authors have tried to relate, and in this edition have sought to extend the story beyond survival to one of resilience and understanding of the plight of those most vulnerable"--

This research integrates theoretical frameworks of risk perception, social amplification of risk, and the role of place‐specific contexts in order to explore the various perceptions surrounding Florida red tides. Florida red tides are naturally occurring events that are increasing in frequency, duration, and severity. This has implications for public health, the local economy, and ecosystem health. While many of the negative impacts of Florida red tides are not easily controlled, some of the secondary impacts may be mitigated through individuals' responses. However, public perception and consequent reactions to Florida red tides have not been investigated. This research uses questionnaire surveys, and semi‐structured interviews, to explore the various perceptions of the risk surrounding red tides. Surveys and interviews were conducted along two Florida west coast beaches. The results indicate that the underlying foundations of the social amplification of the risk framework are applicable to understanding how individuals form perceptions of risk relative to red tide events. There are key differences between the spatial locations of individuals and corresponding perceptions, indicating that place‐specific contexts are essential to understanding how individuals receive and interpret risk information. The results also suggest that individuals may be lacking efficient and up‐to‐date information about Florida red tides and their impacts because of inconsistent public outreach. Overall, social and spatial factors appear to be influential as to whether individuals amplify or attenuate the risks associated with Florida red tides.