Barriers to adopting a zero-waste lifestyle: Thematic analysis of user comments

Purpose- Environmental concern is a key issue for today's society, and consumer behavior is one of the reflection areas of environmental concern in today's marketing. Understanding the behavior patterns of consumers acting with the awareness of protecting the environment, evaluating their practices, and examining their opinions will be beneficial for marketing research. This paper aims to explore an online community discussing the Zero Waste concept and evaluate the themes in the discussion content. With an exploratory aim, this study examines the posts on an online community on a social media platform (Reddit/ZeroWaste) to evaluate community discussion for the Zero Waste concept. Methodology- Data collected from Reddit community of ZeroWaste with the filter of “top posts” and “all time” is used for the sample of the study. Consistent with the exploratory purpose of the study, thematic analysis methodology is employed on community posts. Content is evaluated in two dimensions -post type and content categories- and four post types and thirteen content categories are concluded in the study. Findings- Post types include information, instruction, personal experience, and discussion with community. Content categories include zero waste cases, showcase of zerowaste lifestyle and applications, upcycling, repurposing, reusable items/reusing, recycling, food waste, do it yourself, news sharing, product instruction, discussion about responsibility, environmental awareness, and memes/humor. Conclusion- Post types can signal how the discussion is shaped in the community, while content categories are reflecting the different type of themes in the content. "Zero Waste cases" theme expresses the industrial applications, therefore companies can use this theme to benchmark themselves and understand the applications. "Showcase of Zerowaste Lifestyle and Applications" theme can signal the consumers’ behaviors about the topic. Other themes such as "Upcycling, Repurposing, Reusable items / Reusing, Recycling" also shows the different types of zero waste applications. Evaluation of the post types and content categories included in the conversation of Zero Waste community can help managerial decision-making process about sustainable marketing practises and consumer behavior. Keywords: Zero waste, sustainable consumption, consumer behavior, reddit JEL Codes: M31, Q56

Metaverse adoption rates remain low despite growing commercial and research interest in the concept of metaverse. Previous studies on the drivers and barriers of metaverse adoption predominantly focused on adult users or university students and are mainly conducted in European, North American, and Gulf-area countries. Given that 80% of metaverse users are under the age of 16, the present study investigates children and youth in Asian countries. We employed the “Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology 2” and “Innovation Resistance Theory” as frameworks to conduct semi-structured interviews with 40 individuals aged between 13 and 24 years old. The purpose was to understand their metaverse usage habits and the perceived drivers and barriers of adoption. The findings revealed that entertainment, socialization, and education were prevalent activities. Adoption was primarily driven by perceived usefulness, facilitating conditions, and social factors, while major barriers included perceived risks and value concerns.

PurposeBuilding information modeling (BIM) is a process of creating an intelligent virtual model integrating project data from design to construction and operation. BIM models enhance the process of communicating the progress of construction to stakeholders and facilitate integrated project delivery, coordination and clash detection. However, barriers within the construction industry in Ethiopia has led to slow BIM adoption in the country. The aim of this paper is to identify perceived BIM barriers, provide a platform to quantify their importance and develop a regression model to link individual's personal/professional attributes to their perception of BIM barrier.Design/methodology/approachTo address the objectives of this research, an online survey was developed to collect feedback from construction professionals in Ethiopia on 20 major adoption barriers extracted from a thorough review of literature. Relative importance index and strength of consensus metric were employed to identify the significance of barriers. This was then succeeded by performing exploratory factor analysis to determine the major constructs of BIM barriers which was then used to develop a multivariate regression model linking respondents' personal attributes to their perception of BIM barrier.FindingsResults revealed the importance of project complexity and BIM maturity level in prioritizing barriers that are more relevant under various contexts. More specifically, results indicated the following study highlights: Project complexity led to higher perceived weights for lack of appropriate physical/cloud infrastructures, and a BIM standard. Higher levels of BIM maturity signified the importance of BIM internal issues such as liability, licensing and maintenance issues among other adoption barriers. Female participants tended not to consider intangibility of BIM benefits as a major barrier towards BIM adoption compared to male participants. Age of the participants turned out to be the least important factor in their prioritization of BIM perceived adoption barriers.Originality/valueWhile many research studies have explored BIM adoption barriers in various countries around the world, none to the best of the authors' knowledge have attempted to develop a model to highlight the impact of individuals' personal/professional attributes on their perception of adoption barriers within their community which can help with prioritizing the barriers that are deemed to be more important given the characteristics of the community under study. Our result indicated the importance of BIM maturity level and project complexity in prioritizing barriers associated with BIM adoption within Ethiopia's construction industry.

Zero waste business models have become an important part of the circular economy that aims to reduce waste, improve resource efficiency, and support environmental sustainability. The city of Medan, as the center of the culinary industry, faces major challenges related to the surge in food waste and the high use of single-use materials, which have an impact on the sustainability of the restaurant industry. Therefore, this study aims to analyze the application of the zero-waste business model in culinary startups in Medan City and its impact on operational efficiency, financial benefits, and customer preferences. This study uses a mixed-method research approach, combining qualitative and quantitative methods. The data was collected through in-depth interviews with culinary business owners, customer surveys, hands-on observations at zero-waste restaurants, as well as analysis of business documents. NVivo thematic analysis was used to extract insights from interviews, while descriptive statistical analysis and linear regression (SPSS & PLS-SEM) was applied to measure the correlation between zero waste strategies and operational efficiency. The results of the study show that zero-waste-based restaurants have succeeded in reducing waste by up to 70% compared to conventional restaurants. In addition, the zero waste strategy has a significant correlation with improved operational efficiency (r = 0.72, p = 0.001) and financial benefits (r = 0.65, p = 0.003). On the customer side, 68% of respondents are willing to pay more for food from zero-waste based restaurants, with the main factors influencing consumption decisions being environmental awareness (58%), food prices (25%), and food quality (17%). The conclusion of this study emphasizes that the zero-waste business model can improve business competitiveness through operational efficiency and increased customer loyalty. This research also proposes policy strategies that can support zero-waste-based businesses, such as tax incentives, innovations in the supply chain, and the use of digital technology in waste management. These findings provide a foundation for further research in the development of sustainable business models for culinary MSMEs as well as the integration of the circular economy on a wider scale.

Plastic has become a massive problem globally since there is a large portion of the ocean contaminated with plastic waste. Plastic becomes a material that cannot be broken down by soil and takes years to be broken. Therefore, many people try to influence each other to adoptthe zero waste lifestyle as a concern to the Earth. Zero waste has become a global activity that always encourages the society to reduce single-use plastics. Using single-use plastics can be found in everyday life, such as when going shopping to the market, sometimes the sellers will give plastic bag to the buyers. Most of the time, the plastic bag is only used once tobe throwninto the trash can. This research uses qualitative method. The researcher analyzes through zero waste lifestyle videos and books as the primary sources of this analysis. The results of this research are first, the step to get started to become a “zero-waste lifestyler”, second, how to be the “zero waste lifestyler”, and third, how zero waste can give the global lifestyle movement in Bali, Indonesia as their primary program, Bye Bye Plastic Bags, as in June 2019, Bali becomes the first province in Indonesia to ban in using single-use plastics.Keywords: bye bye plastic bags, single-use plastic; zero waste lifestyle

The city of Montréal is one of many cities worldwide who strive to cut the amount of waste they generate and advance towards zero waste in an effort to meet the Paris Agreement goals. Construction, renovation, and demolition (CRD) waste is a major contributor to urban waste streams but also an area where waste diversion and innovative waste management approaches could deliver significant reductions in waste. One such promising approach is that of circular economy which envisions a future where CRD waste is designed-out of the built environment by keeping construction materials in use. This paper presents a series of methods used to collect and organize data towards advancing circular thinking within CRD material management decision-making in Montréal and mobilizing engagement with the relevant data. Methods includes a detailed literature review, semi-structured interviews with stakeholders from across the building sector value chain followed by a thematic analysis. Collected data is mapped to the internationally recognized United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) framework in an aim to provide globally significant methodologies which cities worldwide can use to showcase contributions to the UN SDGs. Advancing towards zero CRD waste in Montréal will require the input of multiple stakeholders. The work presented in this paper is part of a larger research effort which works to deliver an initial but vital first step in the collection, integration, and dissemination of data towards a circular, more sustainable, built environment.

By the end of last millennium, many universities and colleges started using internet to meet their distance learning needs. Different course management systems (CMS) were developed to meet the needs of online and hybrid courses. These CMS later on transformed into Learning Management Systems (LMS). Many educational institutions have already started using LMS and there are still many who are considering adopting one. The big question before the late adopters of this online learning technology is which LMS they should opt for? This study will be useful for those who are in the process of selecting an LMS as well as those who are in the business of designing one. A survey was conducted to get feedback from the faculty of higher education institutions to find out the major barriers in adoption of e-learning and to find out what kind of functionalities and teaching methodologies should be supported by LMSs. Results indicate lack of training, lack of incentives to use e-learning, lack of technical support and lack of time to develop e-courses are the major barriers in adoption of e-learning by the faculty members. As far as the desired functionalities in an LMS are concerned ability to create student groups for group activities, availability of discussion board, announcement board and online quizzes, file sharing/transfer functionality were the most sought functionalities. The most desired method of teaching that need to be supported by LMS had been group problem solving, discussion based strategies, problem based learning and simulation. The results of survey will be helpful for the adopter as well as designers of LMS.

Zero waste is about more than just rejecting everyday waste — it's a whole new way of life! Instead of focusing on perfectionism and sacrifice, Olga Witt's bestseller provides practical solutions for everyday life that are simple to implement. With her numerous tips, creative recipes and effective strategies, she helps readers avoid waste one step at a time. Her extensive personal experience shows that a zero-waste lifestyle means having more time, experiencing less stress, and developing a stronger connection with the environment. This third edition of the classic book contains many new ideas and is fully up to date. It is an invaluable guide for anyone looking to live more sustainably without compromising on quality of life. Olga Witt is the owner of Cologne's first zero-waste shop and online store. She shares her expertise on sustainable nutrition and zero-waste living through social media, lectures and, in a practical sense, in her shop and second book, “Zero Waste Baby”.

Waste generation is a critical global challenge of the 21 st century, imposing significant economic, environmental, and social burdens. While this crisis persists, basic education institutions offer a powerful, yet underutilized opportunity to embed proper knowledge and skills on waste management among the students at the stage of forming behavioural patterns. This study explored the current state of waste management practices in Kenya' s basic education institutions, with the ultimate goal of nurturing a zero-waste culture and inducing circular economy concepts and practices. The study followed a mixed-methods approach using in-person visits and case studies conducted across a few primary and secondary schools in Kiambu, Nairobi, Machakos, Busia, and Kajiado counties in Kenya. Focused group discussions and interviews were conducted to collect primary data from sampled teachers while data from students was collected using questionnaires, complemented by direct field observations of waste generation and management practices. The study employed quantitative and thematic analysis to present a clear picture of waste management practices in these schools. The study also reviewed appropriate information from secondary sources using published literature. The present status has been compared with the outcome of the activities in the flagship mission," Catch Them Young: Zero Waste and Circular Economy in Campus" being carried out in many schools in several countries. The findings provide a critical baseline, painting a realistic picture of the challenges and opportunities within Kenya' s educational system. This research will inform targeted policy and practical interventions, paving the way for the creation of a zero-waste society and a well-informed citizen empowered to sustainably practice a circular economy.

The importance of sustainable lifestyles is addressed in two of the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals. Public libraries can play a significant role in providing information and resources to lead to positive behavioural actions to help mitigate climate change. The paper examined the resources and programs that thirteen public libraries in Canada offer to people interested in pursuing a zero-waste (ZW) lifestyle. Catalogue and descriptive records for resources and programs related to ZW were extracted from Canadian public libraries that represented each of the provinces and territories. Thematic analysis was conducted on 335 unique subject headings (167 in English, 168 in French) obtained from the bibliographic records of 207 titles, as well as on the titles and descriptions of 34 library programs. This analysis revealed that the library resources covered a span of 14 ZW behaviours or activities, including childcare, food preparation, environmental sustainability, waste reduction, and waste disposal. Through their programs and collections, public libraries can help make sustainable lifestyles more attainable to a greater number of people across different social, cultural, and demographic groups. Given the increasing importance of sustainable lifestyles to mitigate climate change, public libraries could consider how to expand and emphasize their sustainability collections, and particularly programming, to further strengthen and demonstrate their commitment to supporting sustainable lifestyles and practices.

The digital transformation of finance and accounting is accelerating with AI, blockchain, and automation, reshaping financial operations, auditing, and compliance. This study conducts a thematic analysis of academic literature (2018–2025) and industry reports from PwC, Deloitte, EY, HSBC, and central banks to examine key trends. Six themes emerged: automation and efficiency, security and fraud prevention, decentralization, financial inclusion, regulatory challenges, and adoption barriers. Findings show that AI and RPA enhance financial reporting and fraud detection, while blockchain improves transparency and security but poses scalability and regulatory challenges. Decentralized finance (DeFi) and digital currencies like JPM Coin and the Digital Yuan are transforming transactions but raise concerns over compliance and illicit activity risks. Mobile banking and blockchain-based solutions improve financial inclusion, yet digital literacy and security risks remain barriers. Using NVivo-based thematic analysis, the study identifies key trends shaping the future of financial digitalization. While AI and blockchain drive efficiency, regulatory complexities and adoption barriers must be addressed for sustainable transformation. Future research should explore scalability, AI-enhanced compliance, and blockchain’s role in financial security.

Purpose – This study aims to analyze the impact of animated content on the NU Kids YouTube channel on traditional Islamic education for early childhood by examining viewership metrics, community engagement, behavioral changes in children, and how these animations integrate character education, appreciation for local traditions, and the formation of a moderate religious identity. Design/methods/approach – A netnographic approach was employed to observe and analyze 7 out of 13 available videos on the NU Kids Sumenep channel. These 7 videos were selected based on their thematic relevance to the research objectives, focusing on the portrayal of Nahdlatul Ulama’s history, character education, and the development of religious identity. Thematic analysis was used to identify key themes in these videos, including representations of Nahdlatul Ulama history, character education, and the development of religious identity. Findings – The findings indicate that NU Kids animations successfully promote traditional Islamic values rooted in local traditions. For instance, episodes such as "The Founding of Nahdlatul Ulama" and "The Story of Kiai Hasyim Asy'ari" emphasize respect for elders, community solidarity, and the integration of Islamic principles with local customs, which resonate deeply with audiences. The channel effectively builds a strong digital community and strengthens the collective identity of the NU community in the era of globalization. Research implications/limitations – The study is limited to the community analyzed, which may be confined to those already affiliated with Nahdlatul Ulama. The research primarily relies on public data such as view counts and comments, which may not fully reflect long-term impacts. Practical implications – This study demonstrates that digital media, such as YouTube, can be an effective tool for disseminating traditional Islamic teachings to young audiences. The findings could influence the development of educational content based on local values in the future. Originality/value – This research provides new insights into the role of digital media in traditional Islamic education, particularly in early childhood education, by demonstrating how platforms like NU Kids integrate local cultural narratives with religious teachings, employ storytelling and digital tools to foster collective identity, preserve traditional values, and shape the younger generation's identity in a rapidly globalizing world. Paper type Research paper

The Community Service activities that will be carried out in the 2019/2020 academic year are aimed at developing Jatinangor community awareness, especially students and housewives, to manage waste in the principle of Zero Waste. The methods to be used are counseling, poster distribution, and recycling socialization. Based on situational analysis, it is known that the Jatinangor sub-district is a vast educational area, experiencing very rapid progress as indicated by the high frequency of physical development. However, the economic improvement experienced by this region was not matched by good governance, including the household waste management system. The participation of local governments and educational institutions cannot be said to be adequate. The high level of waste production and negative behaviors regarding the relationship with cultural behavior. To overcome this, a more serious and intensive educational effort is needed to change the mentality of individuals and the community of Jatinangor, in order to minimize the production of personal and household waste by applying the Zero Waste principle through 5 R: “Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Rot” in everyday life.

This study aims to investigate the impact of lean manufacturing (LM) practices in the food processing (FP) industries of Kosovo and North Macedonia. It focuses on examining the effects of LM practices on operational performance metrics and evaluating the challenges and opportunities in integrating lean principles with zero waste (ZW) technologies and sustainability objectives. A qualitative multiple case study approach was used to examine nine case studies from companies in Kosovo and North Macedonia, with four companies from Kosovo and five from North Macedonia. Semi-structured interviews, guided by themes derived from a comprehensive literature review, facilitated in-depth discussions on lean practices and their influence on operational metrics and ZW technologies. For analyzing the qualitative data, a thematic analysis approach was employed, involving a multi-step coding process that ensured a comprehensive exploration and interpretation of the data. The thematic analysis uncovered that LM practices, such as Just-In-Time (JIT), Total Productive/Preventive Maintenance (TPM), Statistical Process Control (SPC), and employee involvement, considerably improve efficiency, quality, and responsiveness. The results demonstrate a close relationship between LM practices and sustainability goals, especially in waste reduction and resource optimization. Identified challenges include organizational resistance to change and resource constraints, while opportunities for improvement were noted in employee involvement, supplier engagement, and continuous improvement initiatives. This study underscores the potential of LM methodologies to boost operational performance, foster sustainability, and tackle specific challenges within the industry, offering key insights for enhancing sustainable food production in both Kosovo and North Macedonia.

Waste is a problem that has become a never-ending topic to get talked about all over the world. Indonesia alone has produced 67 tons of waste only in 2019 by the percentage of organic waste dominating more than half of the total waste. The issuance of a presidential regulation on waste management coupled with a law that regulates sustainable economic policies became the reason why the Zero Waste Collaborative Shop in Banjarbaru gets to design. So the problem that needs to be solved is how to design a Zero Waste Collaborative Shop that can accommodate the interactions between the environment, society, and economy so the three of them could integrate with the surrounding community? Zero Waste is a philosophy that is used as a lifestyle to encourage the cycle of resources so a product can be used sufficiently, and not excessively while the rest of the waste can be reprocessed. The design of the Zero Waste Collaborative Shop will have three problems, which are environmental, social, and economic issues. Therefore, the locality was chosen as the method to assist the Stacking the System concept which is expected to be the solution to these problems. The results of this paper are formulating the concept of planning the commercial space by stacking the permaculture systems, circular economy, and community collaboration, with the outcomes in the form of 1) The implementation of the reuse principle in former office buildings that are not maintained so that it will have new functions 2) Analyzing the climate data surrounding the site so that it is following the needs of the site location 3) Utilizing the permaculture ethical principles, that respect natural resources such as land, water, sun and wind 4) Mapping the utility flow schemes as a model for commercial space 5) Providing space for surrounding communities in the application of Zero Waste to everyday life