Experiencing a catastrophic flood increased children and youth’s awareness of environmental problems and pro-environmental behaviorsAs climate-related disasters become more frequent it is important to understand how people affected by extreme weather perceive the relationship between human behavior and the environment. While research focused on adults’ post-disaster views suggests complacency toward environmental issues, there is a paucity of research examining how experiencing a catastrophic event influences the environmental perspectives of children and youth. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to explore the environmental perceptions and behaviors of children and youth who experienced a catastrophic flood.
Eighty-three children and youth (ages 5 – 17) who directly experienced catastrophic flooding in Alberta, Canada participated in the study. The flood, which led to the evacuation of over 175,000 residents, was the costliest disaster in Canadian history. Many families continued to be impacted several years after the flood from both damage to physical infrastructure as well as psychological and social effects. Researchers conducted interviews over a two-year period several years after the flood to explore children and youth’s experiences and perspectives. The interviews were 1.5 to 2.5 hours long and used open-ended questions to glean understanding of participants’ overall experience of the flood as well as environmental perceptions, behaviors, and actions both before and after the flood. Separate interviews, using the same questions, were conducted with a parent or guardian of each child/youth. Including parents/guardians, a total of 166 participants were interviewed. Four child/youth participants did not discuss their environmental views and behaviors, and their responses were not included in the analysis. Data analysis focused on identifying main themes across interview responses.
Analysis identified three main themes regarding children and youth’s post-flood environmental perspectives, opinions, and behaviors. The first theme, “thinking more about the earth and environment after disaster,” revealed that experiencing the flood prompted children and youth to think about the environment more frequently. Over half of children and youth (57%) reported increased thinking about the earth and environment after the flood. Children and youth also described an increased awareness of their vulnerability to extreme weather, a heightened concern for the environment, and an increased curiosity about environmental issues overall and especially for possible causes of the flood. The second theme, “contemplating larger environmental issues and the root cause of disaster concerns about climate change,” further pointed to children's and youth’s continued reflection on the flood event. Climate change was frequently discussed and 32% of children and youth felt climate change was the primary cause of the flood. They also considered other human-caused factors, including global warming, pollution, and unsustainable development practices, which they believed contributed to disaster risk. The third theme, “taking action and calling others to action after disaster,” demonstrated children and youth’s desire to work to address climate change and other local environmental problems. The far majority of children and youth (91%) indicated the importance of caring for the earth and environment, especially after a disaster. They reported engaging in more pro-environmental behaviors, such as recycling, using alternative transportation, and participating in environmental causes. Additionally, encouraging others to make environmentally sound choices and take action was also of high importance to children and youth.
The study revealed that experiencing a devastating weather event “catalyzes a process of reflexivity” for children and youth in which they “think more about environmental problems, connect global processes like climate change to locally felt events, and act, as well as encourage others to act, in more pro-environmental ways.” Findings also suggest that children and youth may be effective at raising societal awareness of environmental issues and urging adults to adopt more environmentally friendly behaviors and take action in response to climate change.
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