Afetividade pessoa-ambiente, bem-estar subjetivo e comportamento pró-ambiental nas hortas comunitárias

Abstract

Community kitchen gardens reveal an option for small-scale food production, highlighting the participation of the local community. They are characterized by sustainable social technologies, with an aesthetic and economic valuation. Current exploratory and descriptive study aims at understanding person-environment affectivity, subjective well-being and the proenvironmental behavior in community kitchen gardens. Forty users, males and females, aged between 50 and 85 years, were interviewed about three community kitchen gardens in Maringá, state of Paraná, Brazil. Data were collected by a quantitative-qualitative methodology (multimethods) comprising the application of the Affective Maps Generator Instrument (AMGI), Positive and Negative Affective Scale (PANAS), Life Satisfaction Scale (LSS) and Ecological Behavior Scale (EBS). Feelings of pleasantness, distraction and restoration were highlighted in the maps. Connection with nature (n = 13) and feelings of belonging (n = 6) were verified in their interaction with the kitchen garden. The exploratory and descriptive analysis of the scales revealed that participants demonstrated a level of contentment above the average prevalence of positive feelings coupled to low levels of negative affections. On ecological behavior, high scores were registered in water and energy savings (M = 4.14), as well as in disposal of urban waste (M = 4.62); median scores on recycling (M = 3.23) and activity and consumption (M = 2.59) were reported. Results show that users associate kitchen gardens with pleasantness and psychological restoration, provided by the connection with nature and neighborhood relationships. These variables stimulate a sense of community and, consequently, may contribute towards environmental conservation.