Coastal residents' literacy about seawater desalination and its impacts on marine ecosystems in California |
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| Institution: | 1. U. A. Whitaker College of Engineering, Florida Gulf Coast University, 10501 FGCU Boulevard South, Fort Myers, FL 33965-6565, United States;2. WSP USA Inc., 1567 Hayley Lane, Suite 202, Fort Myers, FL 33907, United States |
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| Abstract: | This article examines coastal residents' awareness and knowledge about impacts of seawater desalination on marine ecosystems Carlsbad, California. The paper explores to what extent sociodemographics, motivational factors, and information use shape public awareness and self-assessed and factual knowledge. Data was collected using a mail survey (n=330) from a random sample of residents in Carlsbad. Both self-assessed and factual knowledge about the desalination plant and its impacts on marine ecosystem were low, with only two of 11 factual questions answered correctly by more than 50% of respondents. Gender, frequency of ocean use, and use of distinct information sources correlated positively with greater factual knowledge. Education, age, time of residency in local community, membership in an NGO, and place attachment to marine areas did not increase factual knowledge. Findings also demonstrate that knowledge shaped attitudes towards the seawater desalination plant as greater knowledge about marine impacts reduced support. |
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| Keywords: | Seawater desalination Coastal community Public awareness and knowledge Ocean literacy Information sources |
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