E3 Journal of Environmental Research and Management
E3 Journal of Environmental Research and Management Vol. 5 (1) pp. 001-008, January 2014; © E3 Journals; ISSN 2141-7466
A study on determining the awareness level and attitudes of households on water pollution: The case of Erzurum city
Rüveyda Kızıloğlu 1 * , Nuray Kızılaslan 1 , Halil Kızılaslan 11 Agricultural Faculty, Gaziosmanpasa University Tokat, Turkey
*Corresponding Author E-mail: ruveyda.kiziloglu@gop.edu.tr
Accepted 23 October 2013
Abstract
This study aimed at determining the awareness level and attitudes of households living in the central county of Erzurum Province about water pollution. The main material of the study consisted of data collected through questionnaires from households with different income levels who lived in urban area in the central county of Erzurum Province. Mean age was 39.83. It was found that an average of 4.41 people lived in the households surveyed and the average monthly income of the families was 2.063,84 TL/month. According to the data obtained from 271 households interviewed in the urban area of Erzurum city, it was found that more than half of the households (55.35 %) placed water pollution in the first place regarding environment pollution. It was observed that while more than half of the households (64.6 %) were willing to make an extra payment for a more environment-friendly and healthier product, 35.4 % were not. When the factors affecting the willingness to make an extra payment were examined, it was determined according to the probit analysis results that marital status, profession, wife or husbands education status, income, and awareness on water pollution were significant factors. As a last step, the maximum extra payment limits for households willing to do this were determined by defining increments increasing through certain percentages. Tobit analysis was used to determine the factors affecting the amount of payment the households were willing to make. The results of the analysis revealed that the age of household head, marital status, the number of family members, following the news on water pollution, and grouping waste material as glass, plastic, metal, etc. were significant factors on the amount payment the households were willing to make.
Keywords: Water Pollution, Awareness Level, Willingness to Pay, Probit, Tobit, Erzurum
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