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Although both altruistic and ecological behaviors can be considered prosocially driven behaviors, our psychological understanding of what motivates action in either the human or ecological domains is still in its infancy. We aimed to assess connection to nature and connection to humans as mediators of the relationship between prosocial propensity and prosocial behaviors in both the ecological and human domains. This study used empathy as an indicator of an individual’s prosocial propensity. The data for the study was collected through surveys in Russian (841 participants) and Spanish (418 participants). The study demonstrated that an individual’s prosocial propensity can be actioned into ecological (nature-related) behavior through connection to nature. Similarly, an individual’s prosocial propensity can be actioned into altruistic (human-related) behavior through connection to humans. However, the present study also demonstrates that an individual’s prosocial propensity can be directed to humans through a connection to nature. Thus, altruistic and ecological behaviors are two related classes of behavior, driven by the same prosocial propensity of the individual. This study is an important step towards generating scientific support for the claim that traditionally separate teaching of prosocial and environmental subjects should be combined into a single educational approach. An integrated approach will contribute to a multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary effort to create a society that is both ecologically and socially sustainable.

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Some industrial barren areas are extreme habitats created by the deposition of airborne pollutants from non-ferrous smelters. One of such barrens exists in the vicinities of the Cu/Ni smelter, located at the Kola Peninsula, Murmansk region, Russia. This study aimed at evaluating in laboratory conditions the efficiency of various vermiculite-lizardite wastes (industrial wastes of local origin) as soil amendments for plant growth promotion. Peat topsoil (0-20 cm) was collected in the vicinity of the Cu/Ni smelter. Total soil concentrations were 1612, 1481, and 63 mg kg −1 for Ni, Cu, and Co, respectively, and soil pH was 4.3. Soils were amended with lime waste and different types of vermiculite-lizardite wastes (coarse, fine, and thermo-activated at 700°C), leaving one soil untreated. Weekly wetting-drying cycles, performed during 1 month, allowed amendments to react in the soil. All soils were cultivated with Lolium perenne L. for 21 days under controlled conditions. The plant growth was not influenced by high soil Cu concentration, while Ni and Co caused phytotoxicity. A mix of 10% (w/w) of different vermiculite-lizardite wastes with 10% (w/w) of lime improved the plant growth. Thermo-activated waste showed the best results for promoting plant growth and reducing foliar Ni concentrations from 1022 to 88-117 mg kg −1. However, the plants presented Ni phytotoxicity even in the amended soils and this requires further studies to find a way to reduce it.