Barriers to pro-environmental behaviours at Bournemouth University

Abstract

This study investigates the main barriers to pro-environmental behaviours at Bournemouth University (BU). The University is committed to help achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals and over the years has implemented several activities to improve its sustainability performance covering aspects such as energy and carbon management, recycling, travelling, sustainable and ethical food, ethical purchasing and investment, education for sustainable development, and student and staff engagement in sustainability via the Green Impact scheme run by the National Union of Students (NUS). While most of the activities have been successful, participation to the Green Impact scheme, particularly of staff, has been slow. This research project investigates the main barriers at the university to more participation and engagement in environmental initiatives like the Green Impact. It compares cross-faculty behavioural habits and also investigates what the main barriers are to staff engaging further. The research takes a two-step approach, employing both quantitative and qualitative methods. The first part of the research includes a questionnaire and the second a semi-structured interview with staff at the University of Sheffield who is championing the Green Impact scheme. Surprisingly, results demonstrated that there was no significant difference in behaviours between faculties where staff participated to the Green Impact scheme and faculties where staff did not. Results also showed that the main barriers to pro-environmental behaviours were time, funding, and institutional hurdles, in line with other similar recent research in the field. The semi-structured interview with staff at the University of Sheffield helped in defining possible solutions for BU to increase Green Impact participation and ultimately staff engagement in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.