title: Environmental risk and (re)action: air quality, health, and civic involvement in an urban industrial neighbourhood.
abstract: This paper explores the links between (perceived) environmental risk and community (re) action in an urban industrial neighbourhood in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. In-depth interviews were conducted with residents of an area with a documented history of adverse air quality, in order to determine the relative influence of social capital (networks, norms, and social trust) and place attachment (sense of belonging in a neighbourhood) in deciding to take civic action around this particular environmental issue. The interviews illustrate the complexity of lay understandings of air pollution, and indicate that social capital is a primary contributor to the decision to take certain kinds of action, while attachment to place plays a lesser role.
authors: School of Geography and Geology, McMaster University, 1280 Main St. W., Ont., L8S 1K4, Hamilton, Canada. swakefie@mcmaster.ca
authors: S E
authors: SE
authors: Wakefield
authors: S J
authors: SJ
authors: Elliott
authors: D C
authors: DC
authors: Cole
authors: J D
authors: JD
authors: Eyles
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003256:Community Participation; D003625:Data Collection; D004787:Environmental Pollution / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007221:Industry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009864:Ontario; D012307:Risk Factors; D014505:Urban Population; D014838:Volunteers