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Conference Agenda

Overview and details of the sessions of this conference. Please select a date or location to show only sessions at that day or location. Please select a single session for detailed view (with abstracts and downloads if available).

Daily Overview

Session

WR1_2_4: Pitch oral & Environmental approaches to HEPA promotion Group Meeting
Location: White room 1
Session Chair: Josef Mitáš

Presentation 2

3:43pm - 3:46pm

A pilot study on engaging aspirant ski and snowboard teachers in alpine stewardship.

Dirk Aerenhouts¹, Joachim D'Hondt¹, Lisa Mertens^1,2, Vickà Versele¹

1: Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Belgium; 2: Universiteit Gent, Belgium

Background: Ski and snowboard teachers can play an important role in addressing the problem of litter in ski resorts. This study aimed to identify determinants related to reducing and collecting litter in ski resorts among aspirant ski and snowboard teachers.

Methods: On the second day of a 5-day internship, aspirant ski and snowboard teachers (n = 14) were educated about planetary boundaries and the ecological footprint of winter sports. At the end of this session they were encouraged to collect litter in the ski resort while encouraging their pupils to do the same during the following three days, and to send a photograph of each item to the research team. Two days after their internship, nine aspirant teachers participated in a semi-structured focus group discussion to identify determinants related to reducing and collecting litter in the ski resort.

Results: All focus group participants reported to have collected litter with their group, which was confirmed by the submitted photographs (4-21 items/group). The identified determinants for reducing and collecting litter were categorized at the intrapersonal (e.g., awareness, sense of responsibility), interpersonal (e.g., role-modelling, gamification), environmental (e.g., natural vs. built environment), and organizational levels (e.g., ski resort initiatives, availability of litter bins).

Conclusion: This pilot study shows that, to optimally engage (aspirant) ski and snowboard teachers in environmental stewardship, various determinants should be targeted. Further (impact) studies should examine whether and how environmental stewardship can be embedded within relevant curricula and explore how it can be facilitated by ski resort policies.