Abstract:Cycling as a mode of transport is a low-cost, health-improving way to travel and offers environmental benefits for the cities that promote it. It is only recently, though, with concerns over climate change, pollution, congestion, and obesity among others, that have cities throughout the world have begun to implement policies to promote cycling. In Greece, however, the use of the bicycle is limited. In Preveza, a small touristic city in Northwestern Greece where the use of the bicycle is prominent when compared to other Greek cities, there are efforts to promote cycling. Through the aid of a structured questionnaire, the residents evaluated the suitability of the city for cycling, the existing infrastructure, appropriate education, and behavior of cyclists and drivers. More than half of the residents use bicycles as their transportation and stated that bicycles are an inexpensive way of transport in the city and had the opinion that the state should encourage bicycle use by supporting subvention in bicycle acquisition. Two-thirds of the residents evaluated the cycling facilities of their city as adequate, but unsafe for young cyclists who do not follow the rules of transport. Adult cyclists, in contrast, were more loyal to the code, but stated that drivers did not respect their presence on the roads. This research provides important information on the perceived shortcomings of cycling as a transport mode in Preveza that may be of interest to towns/cities with similar characteristics.

Within the last few decades, the extended use of biodiesel and bioethanol has established interlinkages between energy markets and agricultural commodity markets. The present work examines the bivariate relationships of crude oil-corn and crude oil-soybean futures prices with the assistance of the ARDL cointegration approach. Our findings confirm that crude oil prices affect the prices of agricultural products used in the production of biodiesel, as well as of ethanol, validating the interaction of energy and agricultural commodity markets. The practical value of the present work is that the findings provide policy makers with insight into the interlinkages between agricultural and energy markets to promote biodiesel or bioethanol by affecting crude oil prices. The novelty of the present work stands on the use of futures prices that incorporate all available information and thus are more appropriate to identify supply and demand shocks and price spillovers than real prices. Finally, the period of study includes extremely low, as well as extremely high, crude oil prices and the results illustrate that biofuels cannot be substituted for crude oil and protect economies from energy volatility.

Urban national forest parks provide nature preservation and recreational opportunities for socioeconomically disadvantaged communities as well as tourists. We empirically examine the preferences and satisfaction of visitors in the Athalassa National Forest Park, which is located in a peri-urban area in the capital city of Cyprus. This study examines visitors' evaluation of the Athalassa in 600 face-to-face interviews during summertime weekends. A two-step cluster analysis identified two distinct clusters of visitors based on the three dimensions of satisfaction that resulted from the factor analysis and the characteristics of the visit. The dual role of the urban forest National Park was highlighted. Both local and tourist visitors were satisfied and appreciative of the setting and support services, although only the local and higher income visitors were willing to pay an entrance fee, whereas tourists avoided expressing their opinion. Management implications: This study highlighted a number of deficiencies and produced information that could be used to integrate the management decision-making process and assist in defining major lines of action for more inclusive use of urban national forest parks. The results revealed that the visitors were overall satisfied with the park, but the benefits promoted from this important green infrastructure were not evenly distributed across different sections of society with older age groups and those of lower socioeconomic status were not accessing the park to the same extent as other groups, thus there is some room for improvement. However, in a time of economic crisis, the management of the park must be based on a combination of satisfying the two clusters and on improving efforts in different infrastructures.

Healthcare environments should be designed and operate as healing places for all their users. Therefore, the design of outdoor and indoor spaces, has to be oriented towards distressing solutions. The employees’ occupational stress affects their feelings and in turn their services they provide. Thus, this study aimed at the evaluation of the General University Hospital of Alexandroupolis, Greece according to its employees’ views. With the use of two step cluster analysis and the hierarchical cluster analysis, important findings were derived, concerning the interior and landscape design of the healthcare environment. The hospital indoor and outdoor spaces were investigated in relation with environmental parameters and psychological effects on their users. The results have shown a lack of the appropriate green spaces—even though their beneficial role was acknowledged—and marginal satisfaction with available spaces. Conclusively, it should be noted that there is still room for improvements in both interior and outdoor premises of the hospital to reduce stress levels, especially for its nursing staff.

Pedestrian zones are public spaces intended for the continued and safe mobility of pedestrians and people with disabilities, and they provide multiple benefits to urban areas. They counterbalance the densely built-up areas, decrease atmospheric pollution, increase available green or social space, increase walking and cycling rates, and facilitate active play for children. Done properly, pedestrianization may also increase local business sales. Greece boasts open public spaces and the pedestrianization of common roads. The economic crisis that Greece has been experiencing since 2008 has led people to give up their vehicles and use the pedestrian streets more frequently. The purpose of this paper was to investigate residents’ perceptions and satisfaction rates concerning the pedestrian streets of Kalamaria, Greece, and evaluate their importance for residents’ well-being. Following a random sampling method, 400 residents were interviewed. A two-step cluster analysis was conducted. The survey showed that the urban residents visited pedestrian zones in Kalamaria at least once a week, and the visits lasted 46–60 min. The improvement of urban landscape aesthetics and people’s health and well-being were evaluated as important functions of pedestrian zones. The results also indicate that residents were not satisfied with their quality of life and the existing green infrastructures of the pedestrian streets, even though they have a positive disposition toward the construction or transformation of pedestrian streets. The residents expressed their unwillingness to pay more public taxes for the construction and maintenance of pedestrian and cycling streets. The safety and convenience of the mobility of residents were the most important advantages of the pedestrian streets. Meanwhile, overspill parking and difficulties with finding parking spaces were the main disadvantages for the residents. Local authorities can use the results of the present survey to manage the city’s green infrastructure and use this information in the urban planning framework.

Abstract. The region of the Sporades islands located in central Greece is at the mercy of many natural phenomena, such as earthquakes due to the marine volcano Psathoura and the rift of Anatolia, forest fires, floods, landslides, storms, hail, snowfall and frost. The present work aims at studying the perceptions and attitudes of the residents regarding how they face and manage natural disasters. A positive public response during a hazard crisis depends not only upon the availability and good management of a civil defense plan but also on the knowledge and perception of the possible hazards by the local population. It is important for the stakeholders to know what the citizens expect so that the necessary structures can be developed in the phase of preparation and organization. The residents were asked their opinion about what they think should be done by the stakeholders after a catastrophic natural disaster, particularly about the immediate response of stakeholders and their involvement and responsibilities at different, subsequent intervals of time following the disaster. The residents were also asked about the most common disasters that happen in their region and about the preparation activities of the stakeholders.

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate residents’ perceptions, preferences and satisfaction concerning the urban green infrastructure of Kalamaria, Greece, to evaluate the importance of urban parks for residents’ well-being and to suggest management improvements. Design/methodology/approach – Following a random sampling method, 385 residents were interviewed. Green infrastructure number and size, design suitability, safety, variety and care of plants, noise pollution, facilities for people with disabilities and duration and frequency of visits to green areas were among the considered parameters. Factor and hierarchical log-linear analyses were conducted. Findings – The existing green spaces were insufficient in number, size and design, and their distribution was unsatisfactory. The facilities and equipment in the green spaces were evaluated as rather mediocre, and most respondents were unsatisfied with the overall planning and management of the green infrastructure in the municipality of Kalamaria. The results indicate that resident’s well-being relates to their satisfaction with urban green infrastructure. Frequent and longer visits of green spaces significantly improved the perceived well-being. The residents expressed an intention to pay 20-40 percent more than the average price for a house with a view of a green area. Originality/value – Public perception surveys enable green infrastructure managers to identify preferred management alternatives and to use this information in an urban planning framework. Local authorities can use the results of the present survey to manage the city’s green infrastructure, enhance the city’s resilience and anticipate climate change challenges and the future needs of residents.

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