Rural awareness of environmental issues: the case of Turkey

The main aim of this study was to determine the relationship between environmental consciousness and socio-economic characteristics of rural inhabitants and to reflect on the ideas of rural people about the solution of environmental problems. Paying attention to not destroying the environment while using agrochemicals, and attending environmental works were taken as possible indicators of environmental attitudes and behavior among rural dwellers. Data were obtained from 159 rural dwellers living in 11 villages of Afyonkarahisar and 14 villages of Eskisehir provinces of Turkey via survey. Chi-square test (χ2) was used while analyzing the relationship between socio-economic characteristics of rural people and environmental consciousness. No statistically significant relationship was found between determining the amount and type of fertilizer and education, or between determining the amount and type of agro-chemicals and education, or between determining the amount and type of fertilizer and age. Only when determining the amount of fertilizer was age a statistically significant factor.