Environmental Attitudes and Travel Behavior of Youth Cindy Tse, Master of Applied Science Student, UBC Sustainable Mobility Summit 2011 October 31, 2011

Greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution from the road transport system have been rising at an alarming rate 2

3 Environment and Travel Travel Behavior  Environmental Attitudes VMT  CO2

The generation who will bear the consequence In the stage of shaping their attitude Formal Education as a Public Intervention Why Youth?

Investigate the environmental attitude and travel behavior of youth Quantify attitudes behavior relationship Research Objectives

Implemented between April and June, 2011 in Dongguan Paper-based survey was conducted during class time 14 pages questionnaire covering –Environmental Value, Attitudes, Behavior, Knowledge –Travel Behavior and Attitudes –Environmental Information –Personal and Household Information 612 Dongguan high school students participated in the study Survey Implementation

7 Environmental Attitudes IDDescription Strongl y Agree Moderately Agree Neutral Moderately Disagree Strongly Disagree Indicators for Transportation-Specific Environmental Attitude (Cronbach's Alpha = 0.60) x1 It is important to build more roads to reduce congestion even if it will increase pollution 9%17%33%27%14% x2 We should reduce car usage to reduce pollution 44%26%19%7%5% x3 In order to protect the environment, I would cycle and walk more, because these mode do not pollute 57%22%15%4%2% X4 Purchase and use of private cars is freedom of choice, I will buy and use even if it will damage the environment 6%11%33%30%20%

8 Environmental Attitudes

9 Travel Mode to School

Actual Travel Mode Ideal Mode WalkBikeTransitTaxiCarMotorcycleMissing Walk 33%41%9%3%11%3%0% Bike 5%75%7%2%5% 0% Transit 9%37% 1%11%3%1% Taxi 0% 75%25%0% Car 9%40%6%3%40%1% Motorcycle 25%50%0% 17%8%0% 10 Actual vs Ideal Travel Mode to School

Environmental Attitudes Travel Behavior OR Travel Behavior Environmental Attitudes OR Environmental Attitudes Travel Behavior 11 What is the relationship between Environmental Attitudes and Travel Behavior?

12 Se Structural Equation Models

Significant and relationship between Attitudes and Travel to School by Transit Significant and relationship between Attitudes and Travel to School by Cars, Motorcycle and Taxi Insignificant relationship between Attitudes and Travel to School by Non-Motorized Mode (Walk and Bike) and the # of trips made per day 13 Key Finding

14 Who is the decision maker?

Travel to SchoolEstimateEst. / S.E. Students Transit Auto, Taxi and Motorcycle Parents Transit Auto, Taxi and Motorcycle Travel Behavior -> Environmental Attitudes

R SquareEst./S.E. Students Parents How much can Travel Behavior explain Environmental Attitudes?

Significant and relationship between Attitudes and Non-Motorized Mode (Walk and Bike) as ideal travel mode to school Significant and relationship between Attitudes and Motorized Mode (Car, Taxi and Motorcycle) as ideal travel mode to school 17 Is there a relationship between Environmental Attitudes and the Ideal Travel Mode?

18 Conclusion School should be encouraged to support active and sustainable travel (school travel plan, education curriculum) Inform parents of the issues related to the increasing level of journeys made by car by youth

Examine the impact of environmental knowledge on travel behavior Study teachers’, friends’ and parents’ environmental attitudes and investigate their influences on students’ attitudes In-depth interviews with the students to explore other influencing factors Perform the study in Vancouver 19 Future Research

Thank you!