Environmental Attitudes And Behaviors Of Residents And Tourists Of Miramar, Buenos Aires (Argentina)

Abstract

Introduction: environmental quality has become a desirable and positive value. However, the main causes of environmental deterioration correspond to unsustainable patterns of behavior. Therefore, the actions of individuals are an essential factor to move towards sustainable development. Objective: the objective is to determine the pro-environmental attitudes and behaviors of residents and tourists of Miramar in order to deepen the understanding of environmental values in social terms. Methodology: the work is descriptive with a quantitative approach, based on a representative sample of residents and tourists who were given a Likert scale to measure levels of attitudes and frequency of pro-environmental behaviors. Conclusions: there is a favorable environmental attitude in both groups. However, the local-global relationship differs; residents are more concerned about conserving local natural resources, while tourists prioritize global agenda issues. Attitudes do not directly affect environmental behaviors. While these behaviors show empathy towards nature, they decrease as they require self-efficacy, skills, and/or involve economic costs. The analysis conducted helped identify the valorative components that support patterns of interaction between society and nature and guide the use of resources.