The Value of Lay Knowledge in Environmental Assessment Tanika Kelay, David Uzzell, Birgitta...

The Value of Lay Knowledgein Environmental Assessment

Tanika Kelay, David Uzzell, Birgitta Gatersleben

Air Pollution: A Physical-Ecological &

Social Psychological Problem

“The introduction of man, directly or indirectly, of substances or energy into the air resulting in deleterious effect of such a nature as to endanger human health, harm living resources, ecosystems and material property, and impair or interfere with amenities and other legitimate uses of the environment”. Aria 2002

The Social Dimensions of Air Pollution

• Car dependent society

• Growing concern due to steadily increasing car ownership

• Whilst scientific understandings regarding the nature and impacts of pollution have progressed, “our social, political and economic responses have lagged behind” (Longhurst, 2003)

Disparities between Lay and Scientific Evaluations

• Public portrayed as unwilling to accept policy initiatives due to:

– “poorly informed and unfocused” views

– “confused”, “unclear”, “very limited” knowledge

• Congruence between objective assessments and lay evaluations

Research Questions

• How do the lay public perceive, assess and evaluate air pollution? What is the basis for this knowledge?

• What meanings do the public attach to air pollution?

• How do public evaluations compare with scientific findings?

• To what extent do evaluations differ between lay people and experts?

An Interdisciplinary Approach

SCIENTIFIC ACCOUNTS

GIS ANALYSIS & COMPARISONS

Air Pollution Modelling

Real-Time Data Analysis

Expert Interviews &Mapping Exercises

LAY ACCOUNTS

Large Scale Survey

ResidentInterviews

ResidentMapping Exercises

Air Pollution in Guildford

GUILDFORD TOWN CENTRE

A3 TRUNK ROAD

study area

Portsmouth, 40 miles

London, 30 miles

NO2 (ppb)10.4 – 13.3

33.2 – 36.0

Air Pollution Modelling Study

Developed by Cowan, 2003

NO2 (ppb)10.4 – 13.3

33.2 – 36.0

Mapping Studies

Lay Modal Average

Perceived Severity of Air Pollution

High

Low

Resident One

Perceived Severity of Air Pollution

High

Low

“I don’t think there’s much industry in Guildford, again maybe my knowledge may not be correct, but I don’t think industry where smoke…emits…the traffic would be my main concern…approximately around the main roads, and the chimneys are very limited now.

My feeling would be the traffic pollutants…mainly the main roads, and mainly the non-populated areas, and where open fields are…I put less pollution.

This was my indication of…I don’t think I know, I don’t know what the official…that was my feeling…the more populated and the more traffic, that was my idea”.

Resident Two

Perceived Severity of Air Pollution

High

Low

“…I don’t think when I drive my car over a road air pollution just sticks there. I think it spreads over the whole area. I don’t think that pollution from cars just sticks there.

The wind and the weather is so much that it spreads out….in my opinion I don’t think there’s any difference because the wind and the weather…um…move it around.

That’s just my feeling. It’s an uneducated idea of the thing…you know.”

Resident Three

Perceived Severity of Air Pollution

High

Low

“Well, it’s my perception, I really don’t have the knowledge whatsoever. It’s highly populated, there’s a lot of traffic and a lot of people living around…and I think that’s probably one of the main reasons that…

I don’t know official ratings but uh I don’t think it’s very good…the town’s the worst, because the buildings, they contain it [air pollution] a bit don’t they? And it’s a constant stream [of traffic].

You can’t see it, but it’s there”.

Expert Variability

Perceived Severity of Air Pollution

High

Low

“Air pollution will follow the major roads, so the A35 and obviously the A3…I mean, you’ve got…60,000 vehicles running along the A3 in twelve hours, every single day.

Pollution comes out of cars in Surrey, that’s undeniable”.

Scientific Accounts vs. Lay Accounts A Comparative Overview

Lay Accounts NO2 (ppb) NO2 (ppb) Scientific Accounts Modal Average 19 19 Measured Residents One 19 17 Modelled Resident Two 20 20 Expert One Resident Three 20 31 Expert Two Resident Four 16 33 Expert Three Resident Five 14 17 Expert Four 19 Expert Five

Place-Specific Evaluations

• Place-related reminders to the cues of air pollution

• Knowledge of Local Geography– Busy roads, congestion– Topography– Degree of Urbanism

• Local Social Networks– Negotiated a sense of meaning

A Knowledgeable Public

• The public are knowledgeable about the causes, consequences and severity of air pollution

• The public possess highly relevant knowledge and skills that reflect place-specific conditions

• Lay knowledge as qualitatively different to scientific knowledge

• A gulf of understanding between experts and the public?