Analysis of Undergraduates’ Environmentally Friendly Behavior: Case Study of Tzu Chi University Environmental Education Program

Abstract

The Tzu Chi University Environmental Education Program, based on a theory of change, consisted of four weeks of lessons involving environmental and sustainability topics, followed by hands-on sorting of recyclables and four weeks of weekly documenting of environmentally friendly behavior. The Program was analyzed using written thoughts from the Experimental Group, as well as 78 and 116 valid survey responses of the Control and Experimental Groups, respectively. The survey consisted of questions regarding demographics and five constructs: environmental awareness, attitudes, norms, efficacy and behavior. No significant average differences were found between the pre-tests of the Control and Experimental Groups, or between the pre- and post-test of the Control Group. The post-test of the Experimental Group displayed a significantly higher average value when compared to both the pre-test of the Experimental Group and the post-test of the Control Group, as the means of the self-reported environmental awareness, attitudes, norms, efficacy and behavior significantly improved statistically after participating in the Program. Analysis revealed that lessons from the Program increased undergraduates’ environmental awareness and attitudes; “hands-on recyclables sorting” and “weekly documentation of environmentally friendly behavior” strengthened undergraduates’ environmental norms and efficacy, while their combination resulted in a significant improvement toward environmentally friendly behavior.