The Spirit of the Appalachian Trail: Community, Environment, and Belief

Appendix I. Tables of Ethical Values

AppendiX i TABleS of eThicAl VAlueS Table I.1 Ethical values of Appalachian Trail hikers Topic Question Mean Median Mode Equal to or greater than 4.0, very true Pollution Proper waste management is a responsibility of all good citizens. 4.64 5 5 Water and air pollution are threats to human health. 4.35 5 5 Biodiversity Humans should do more to protect wildlife. 4.49 5 5 We should preserve as many of the earth’s wild plants and animals as possible. 4.47 5 5 Care & Service Care for nature should be an integral part of my life. 4.31 5 5 Service to other people should be an integral part of my life. 4.11 4 5 Between 3.50 and 3.99—True Rural scene Humans should do more to prevent loss of agricultural lands and the rural scene. 3.96 4 5 Threats Industrialized human culture is a threat to the earth’s environments. 3.93 4 5 Environmental degradation could result in the disappearance of humanity from the earth. 3.89 4 5 Appendix i 216 Table I.1 (cont.) Topic Question Mean Median Mode Ecojustice 1 Caring for the environment is important to caring for the world’s needy people. 3.88 4 5 Population Increasing human population is a threat to the earth’s environments. 3.82 4 5 Trail Human developments, such as roads and buildings, are damaging our parks and hiking trails. 3.50 3 3 Between 3.0 and 3.49—Somewhat true None Between 2.50 and 2.99—Equivocal to somewhat untrue Ecojustice 2 People who are poor do not have enough access to outdoor recreation . 2.61 3 1 Anti-Environmental Environmentalists often exaggerate or make issues seem worse then they are. 2.59 2 2 Between 2.00 and 2.49–Untrue Environment vs. People Caring for the environment can harm human welfare or interests. 2.46 2 1 Money spent on the environment should be used to directly assist needy people 2.13 2 2 Note: These values are based on all completed responses in the hiker surveys, between 191 and 202 responses per statement. The scale is from 1 to 5, from “Not at all true” to “Very true.” Tables of ethical Values 217 Table I.2 Impact of the AT hike on personal values or ethical action Topic Question Mean Median Mode Equal to or greater than 4.0, very true to true Aesthetics Experiencing natural beauty increases my motivation to care for the environment. 4.25 5 5 Between 3.5 and 3.9—True to somewhat true Wilderness This trip has made me more aware of the value of wild or undeveloped lands. 3.68 4 5 Personal responsibility This trip has made me more aware of how my behavior or ethics can effect the natural environment. 3.69 4 5 This trip has made me more aware of how my behavior or personal ethics can affect other people. 3.56 4 5 Trail The more time I spend on this trip, the more I learn about caring for the environment. 3.51 3 3 Between 3.0 and 3.4—Equivocal to somewhat true Active This trip has increased my motivation to join environmental organizations or to volunteer to care for the environment. 3.25 3 3 This trip has made me more likely to take political action or to vote concerning environmental issues. 3.04 3 3 Spiritual experience Spiritual or religious experience with nature increases my motivation to care for the environment. 3.25 3 5 Appendix i 218 Table I.2 (cont.) Topic Question Mean Median Mode Between 2.5 and 2.99—Equivocal to somewhat untrue Learning I would like to have more access to printed or educational materials concerning environmental issues along the trail 2.99 3 3 Exposure to educational materials or programs about this trail has increased my interest in environmental care. 2.72 3 3 Active ethics 2 This trip has increased my motivation to join humanitarian or human service organizations or volunteer time to people in need. 2.85 3 3 Bioregion This trip has made me more aware of environmental concerns in my hometown or region. 2.75 3 3 Between 1.5 and 2.0—Untrue to very untrue Anti-learning I have not learned anything new about environmental care on this trip. 1.67...