ABSTRACT

By definition (section 1.2) the causes of environmental degeneration are to be found within society, not in nature itself. Environmentai issues are created by the human society. At the same time, an environmental problem only exists if society or some part of it has recognized it as a problem. This means that a natural phenomenon is only an environmental problem when:

it is caused by some kind of human activity;

it is recognized by human beings and judged to be a problematic phenomenon. Both aspects, causes as well as responses to environmental problems, are the object of study within the social and behavioural sciences. In two chapters we will concentrate on activities and responses at the level of individuals. In chapter 7 we will discuss the reactive side: the significance of environmental changes for individuals, the way these changes are perceived and what kind of responses they may induce. In this sixth chapter we will concentrate on the active side: individual behaviour, motives, backgrounds and the relevance of it for environmental damage.