Do neighbourhood environmental perceptions affect practices?

Abstract

In this paper, we examine how environmental practices related to public transit and urban green space use are influenced by perceptions of local level environmental change, neighbourhood inhabitation, and socio-demographic factors. The analysis shows that perceptions of change and neighbourhood inhabitation offer better explanations for changing local environmental practices than socio-demographic orientations. We contribute to social practice theory by drawing attention to the interplay of environmental perceptions and neighbourhood inhabitation as factors that facilitate changing environmental practices. By gaining insight into the relationship between perceptions of change and environmental practices, we thereby learn how sustainability goals, such as those embodied by SDG11, can be translated into social practices at the community level.