No abstract

A social cognition model of health behavior, the health belief model, was applied to the pro-environmental behavior of private well water testing. Conceptualizing environmental behaviors as health behaviors may provide new insight into pro-environmental behavior change. A groundwater education program was provided to K-12 children throughout New England. Both child participants and their parents completed surveys pertaining to private well water behavior. Results indicate that perceived barriers and socioeconomic status significantly influenced past well water testing of parent participants. Perceived barriers included: participants' concern related to the cost of treating their water, and how a well water problem would influence their property value. Parent participants also indicated that they would perform future well water testing if they received a reminder cue to action that might include: getting a discount or reminder in the mail, if a well testing program was available, and state or local requirement. Our findings reinforce the need for continued private well water research and parallels to additional environmental behaviors.(KEY TERMS: health belief model; well water; water quality testing; pro-environmental behavior.)

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Core Ideas We studied intergenerational environmental communication (IGEC) by implementing surveys. After participating in a groundwater environmental education program, child knowledge increased but parent knowledge did not increase. There was a perceived difference in levels of environmental communication between child and parent. Intergenerational environmental communication (IGEC) was examined using pre‐ and post‐survey research after child participation in a groundwater environmental education (EE) program. The EE program increased child knowledge, but did not significantly increase parent knowledge. There was also a significant difference between perceived levels of environmental communication (EC) between child and parent, with parents indicating higher levels of EC than their children. Participants reporting low EC levels had significantly less interest in, concern for, or knowledge about environmental issues. Several key factors initiated IGEC between children and their parents, including saving household money by changing environmental behaviors, exposure to media sources that reported environmental news, and school activities such as homework related to environmental issues. Environmental educators should be cautious when implementing EE programs, as additional considerations are essential to determine what influence, if any, child participants have beyond the classroom. Continued research is needed to increase EC between children and their parents with the hope of improving intergenerational approaches to environmental issues.