Encouraging pro-environmental behaviour: Energy use and recycling at Rhodes University, South Africa

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The rapid expansion of student numbers, staff and support infrastructures in higher education institutions often result in increased demand for resources such as energy and paper. Promoting pro-environmental behaviour is critical if higher education institutions are to achieve sustainable resource use. Using surveys, reported energy use and recycling behaviour of staff and students in the Faculty of Education at Rhodes University, South Africa was explored. The results showed that self-reported pro-environmental behaviour was mediated by demographic factors and personal values such as ‘liking of aesthetic beauty and biodiversity’, ‘social relations’, ‘a varied life’ and ‘freedom’. Personal values, though key in shaping participants' attitudes toward the environment did not always translate into pro-environmental behaviour. Situational factors beyond the control of participants were cited as barriers to pro-environmental actions. Lessons from this study point to the need to carefully study the assumptions underlying intervention strategies aimed at promoting pro-environmental behaviour and to get rid of barriers to enable pro-environmental actions.