Encouraging Sustainable Behavior Research Articles

Green identity labeling, environmental information, and pro-environmental food choices

This study examines the effectiveness of green identity labeling and environmental information in nudging consumers toward pro-environmental food choices, using an online discrete choice experiment conducted on US respondents. Results reveal that the green identity labeling in itself is ineffective at increasing consumer valuation for sustainable labels. Nevertheless, the environmental information intervention and its joint use with green identity labels can enhance consumer valuation for already existing pro-environmental foods instead of the novel food products. The policy implications for encouraging sustainable behaviors are discussed in the paper.

Eliciting user preference for quantitative vs. emotional information display in eco-feedback designs

Eco-feedback is a design strategy that reminds users of their resource consumption as they use a product. The ultimate goal is to promote pro-environmental behaviors in users by making them aware of the environmental impact of their consumption. The way these designs present resource usage information can significantly impact user perceptions. This paper investigates two aspects of resource usage presentation, quantitative feedback and emotional evocativeness, by evaluating 32 designs spanning electricity, materials, transportation, and water via surveys of 619 university students in the US and Saudi Arabia. Both these aspects are positively correlated with perceived product appeal and perceived effectiveness in encouraging sustainable behavior. It was found that presenting quantitative resource usage information was more helpful to respondents who could better estimate resource consumption, while the emotional evocativeness of a design aided respondents with lower and higher resource consumption knowledge to a similar degree. In addition, we found that images of living creatures and strong visual cues evoked strong emotions in users. Female participants, in general, responded more strongly than males to this emotional evocativeness. These experimental findings cast light on how to better design eco-feedback products to be more widely accepted.

Friend-Invitation Promotion Scheme Used in Electric Carsharing: Empirical Analysis and Policy Implications

The combination of electric vehicle (EV) and carsharing is expected to provide social and environmental benefits, like encouraging sustainable travel behaviors (reducing car ownership and vehicle kilometres of travel) and improving the accessibility and flexibility of urban transport. Thus, electric carsharing is encouraged to be adopted for daily trips, and the operators propose the friend-invitation promotion scheme for the membership expansion. This study explores the effectiveness of this scheme and the characteristics of the scheme participants and their invited friends (e.g., age, friend-invitation pattern, and EV rental pattern). The analysis found that 28.4% of these invited friends would make at least one EV rental after registration, whereas 30.4% of the other members who registered in the same period would do so, indicating that these invited friends were less active. Therefore, suggestions are given based on the EV rental pattern of these invited friends (preferring a longer journey using a smaller but cheaper EV) to enhance the effectiveness of the friend-invitation promotion scheme.

A Research Agenda to Better Understand the Human Dimensions of Energy Transitions.

The Social Sciences and Humanities (SSH) have a key role to play in understanding which factors and policies would motivate, encourage and enable different actors to adopt a wide range of sustainable energy behaviours and support the required system changes and policies. The SSH can provide critical insights into how consumers could be empowered to consistently engage in sustainable energy behaviour, support and adopt new technologies, and support policies and changes in energy systems. Furthermore, they can increase our understanding of how organisations such as private and public institutions, and groups and associations of people can play a key role in the sustainable energy transition. We identify key questions to be addressed that have been identified by the Platform for Energy Research in the Socio-economic Nexus (PERSON, see person.eu), including SSH scholars who have been studying energy issues for many years. We identify three main research themes. The first research theme involves understanding which factors encourage different actors to engage in sustainable energy behaviour. The second research theme focuses on understanding which interventions can be effective in encouraging sustainable energy behaviour of different actors, and which factors enhance their effects. The third research theme concerns understanding which factors affect public and policy support for energy policy and changes in energy systems, and how important public concerns can best be addressed as to reduce or prevent resistance.

Residential relocation and travel behavior change: Investigating the effects of changes in the built environment, activity space dispersion, car and bike ownership, and travel attitudes

The influence of residential relocation, as a life event, on travel behavior has become the focus of research on determinants of travel behavior in recent years. Although several studies have investigated the influence of changes in the built environment of the residential environment, the complex relationships between the built environment, travel attitudes and travel behavior has remained controversial. One crucial research gap in this area is the paucity of longitudinal and semi-longitudinal research designs that could capture the influence of changes in the built environment, activity space dispersion, car and bike ownership, latent attitudes towards travel, as well as travel behavior, and the interrelationships between these factors. This study attempts to fill this gap by collecting retrospective travel behavior and attitudinal data in Helsinki Metropolitan Area using an online map-based survey tool. In total, 1321 residents who had relocated to a new residential location between three to eleven months prior to the survey date participated in the study. The study collected data related to common home-based trips during a typical week in September 2017 and September 2018, stated change in the use of different modes of transport after the move, as well as socio-demographic, and attitudinal data before and after the move. Based on residential location and the visited destinations during a typical week, respondents’ activity space dispersion was measured. Structural equation modelling was then used to investigate the interrelationships between changes in the built environment, activity space dispersion, car and bike ownership, travel attitudes, and travel behavior. Results indicate the existence of reciprocal influences between changes in car and bike ownership, travel attitudes, and travel behavior. It is also found that the built environment can modify and change travel related attitudes and influence activity space dispersion, which in turn affects travel behavior. The results of this study support the effectiveness of nudging approaches rather than marketing activities in changing travel attitudes and encouraging sustainable travel behavior.

Encouraging Sustainable Behaviour Change via a Social Practice Approach: A Focus on Apparel Consumption Practices

To encourage greater sustainability regarding apparel consumption practices, policymakers have traditionally focused on economic and/or social psychology frameworks which rely on information-based campaigns to achieve behavioural change. Whilst such campaigns have had limited success and received significant criticism, additional policy solutions are called for. In contrast to conventional behavioural change strategies, this study responds to calls for further methodological insight and explores the potential of creative methods such as upcycling workshops and contemplative theatre performance, as practice-based mechanisms to engender a greater understanding of the environmental impact of apparel consumption and help bring about behavioural change to current apparel consumption practice. Via the theoretical lens of behavioural change theory and contemplative performance practice, our findings reveal the dynamic and continuously reshaping nature of the apparel market, in that most of our participants were until recently unaware of the unsustainable nature of the apparel industry. Despite some participants citing barriers, such as a lack of time, peer pressure, and the desire to express a specific social identity, reactions to practice-based methods were overwhelmingly positive. Thus, initiating a more proactive engagement with sustainability issues as well as increased reflection and discussion on how they might modify current apparel consumption behaviours in the future. We conclude by making suggestions for policymakers regarding future sustainability initiatives.

Factors Controlling Urban and Rural Indirect Carbon Dioxide Emissions in Household Consumption: A Case Study in Beijing

Residential carbon dioxide emissions can be divided into a direct component caused by consumers via direct energy usage and an indirect component caused by consumers buying and using products to meet their needs, with a higher proportion caused by the latter. Based on Beijing panel data for 1993–2012, an economic boom period in China, indirect carbon dioxide emissions were separately calculated for urban and rural households using the consumer lifestyle approach (CLA) model. Then, an extended stochastic impact by regression on population, affluence, and technology (STIRPAT) model was used to analyze the influence from two aspects, social economy, and land use, with high precision. Results indicate that indirect CO2 emissions in Beijing households display a rising trend in urban areas but a slight decrease in rural areas. Technology influences and forest land are, respectively, the most important aspects of the social economy and land use. Higher population and urbanization resulted in enhanced emissions in both urban and rural areas. The Engel coefficient presented a negative correlation with indirect CO2 emissions for both rural and urban areas. Compared with urban areas, the per capita net income of rural areas restrained consumption. The consumption structure of urban residents was more biased toward the tertiary industry than that of rural residents. Although technical progress has proceeded, it cannot offset urban residents’ indirect CO2 emissions caused by the large amount and rapid growth of consumption. Regarding land use, urban construction land net primary productivity (NPP) was high and not an important factor contributing to indirect CO2 emissions. Forest and lawn primarily served a recreational function and exhibited a positive impact. Water and cultivated land offered insufficient production and thus had a negative influence. For rural residents, lawn and cultivated land production is self-sufficient. Forests offer a carbon sequence effect, and construction land expansion increased the proportion of developed area, offering a scale effect that resulted in reduced carbon emissions. Based on the results, alternative carbon emission reduction policies have been proposed for each tested influence aspect to reduce emissions, including policies for optimizing industrialization quality, constructing a medium-density city, increasing space efficiency, encouraging sustainable consumption behavior, and increasing the efficiency of energy utilization.

How to SHIFT Consumer Behaviors to be More Sustainable: A Literature Review and Guiding Framework

Highlighting the important role of marketing in encouraging sustainable consumption, the current research presents a review of the academic literature from marketing and behavioral science that examines the most effective ways to shift consumer behaviors to be more sustainable. In the process of the review, the authors develop a comprehensive framework for conceptualizing and encouraging sustainable consumer behavior change. The framework is represented by the acronym SHIFT, and it proposes that consumers are more inclined to engage in pro-environmental behaviors when the message or context leverages the following psychological factors: Social influence, Habit formation, Individual self, Feelings and cognition, and Tangibility. The authors also identify five broad challenges to encouraging sustainable behaviors and use these to develop novel theoretical propositions and directions for future research. Finally, the authors outline how practitioners aiming to encourage sustainable consumer behaviors can use this framework.

Human rights for conservation: A rights-based approach to fisheries governance

The sustainable management of fishery resources in the Pacific region will greatly influence the long-term development of many Melanesian nations. This article will demonstrate that the incorporation of a rights-based approach to fisheries governance would facilitate the achievement of conservation objectives by encouraging sustainable behaviour amongst fishing communities. The significant role of legal stewardship will be highlighted thus emphasising the importance of robust law for both sustainability and human rights.

Understanding the link between collaborative economy and sustainable behaviour: An empirical investigation

The Collaborative Economy is growing at an exponential rate and the accommodation sector is especially affected. The relevance of the phenomenon is linked with sustainable consumption that encourages resource efficiency, waste reduction, development of better products and surplus reutilization due to overproduction and overconsumption. This paper aims at investigating the relationship between collaborative consumption and the adoption of sustainable practices from the users' perspective. After identifying the gaps existing in the literature, different research approaches were integrated. At first 4 focus groups were conducted to detect the main attributes and benefits attached to Collaborative Economy in tourism. The personal values (Instrumental and Terminal Values) relevant to P2P accommodation renting were identified through laddering technique as the propensity to put in place sustainable behaviour. Thereafter, a Structural Model based on the framework of the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) constructs was set and tested to understand its consistency with the above values. An ad hoc questionnaire was projected and administered online, based on a sample of 384 respondents. Quantitative data were analysed through statistical and Structural Equation Modeling software. From an academic perspective, the paper enhances the current knowledge in identifying the desired end states that users want to achieve by renting a P2P accommodation; moreover, it exploits and adapts the TPB to an emerging consumption model such as Collaborative Economy, thus disclosing the relation between collaborative consumption and sustainable behaviour. Moreover, the adaptation of TPB model to the newest context of Collaborative Economy expands the knowledge related to sustainable consumption. From a managerial perspective, it is necessary to emphasize the importance of defining a new business paradigm considering collaborative consumption to support environmental policy and encouraging sustainable behaviour.

Millennial Generation and Environmental Sustainability: The Role of Social Media in the Consumer Purchasing Behavior for Wine

In the coming years, social media technology will have a crucial role in environmental involvement and in encouraging sustainable behaviors in the wine industry. Sustainable development is becoming a crucial topic for many consumers. Also, in the wine industry much research has been carried out to decrease the environmental impact, with a particular focus on renewable energy use, greenhouse gas emissions, pesticides reduction, water and waste management, biodiversity, soil and landscape preservation. In recent years, social media technologies have gained increased attention for their potential to amplify environmental concerns and encourage sustainable behaviors among people. This study aims to study the role of social media in the consumer purchasing behavior for wine between the millennial and non-millennial generations. A total sample of 2597 Italian wine consumer responses were collected and a structured questionnaire was used to test our hypothesis. The main results show that the greater the import the consumer places on the product/process dimension of environmental sustainability, the higher the self-selection in market segments. This is true for both millennials and non-millennials. The results show the power of social media to increase sustainability awareness and consecutively influence the consumer’s buying behavior for wine (higher price segment). From a marketing perspective, companies should improve their capacity to share and communicate their environmental activities through social media.

Role model advocacy for sustainable transport

Individual aspirations of associating with role models are routinely harnessed by marketers, who for instance, use celebrity endorsement in selling brands and products. It appears there has been no research to date, however, on the potential for celebrity activism, or role model advocacy beyond celebrities, such as from politicians, to form effective interventions for encouraging sustainable transport behavior. This is despite studies suggesting that celebrity endorsement is a potential gateway for transforming public opinion on carbon intensive transport modes. The present paper consequently offers a critical review of the literature on role model advocacy and celebrity activism, and how these concepts have been harnessed to address environmental issues, in order to conceptually assess the potential for extending these intervention techniques to the context of sustainable transport. The scope of the paper includes the potential that high profile politicians/celebrities might play as role models in exercising referent power to influence social norms surrounding sustainable transport, given that the success of social marketing interventions are closely tied to the need for changes in the policy landscape. Key dimensions of role model endorsement in transport are identified and applied to a series of examples of how celebrity and political role models have influenced transport cultures. In addition to offering an original application of a theoretical framework to a new context, in order to help address the increasingly important societal issue of transport’s growing contribution to climate change, the paper discusses the challenges associated with the neoliberal framing of this approach.

Field Experiments in Corporate Sustainability Research

Experimental studies are a valuable tool to test effective strategies for encouraging sustainable behavior but have not been used much in corporate sustainability research. In this article, we describe the benefits and challenges of the randomized field experimental method for research in corporate sustainability. We draw on the examples of our own research in energy conservation behavior to illustrate some of the hurdles that need to be overcome for the successful implementation of field experiments.

Travel satisfaction effects of changes in public transport usage

We study the effects of public transport use incentives on changes in travel satisfaction of participants that undergo behavior change. We use the results of an experiment conducted recently at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and requiring a temporary use of public transport for commuting to work by habitual car drivers. We observe an increase in the average level of satisfaction with the commute to work of participants who switch to public transport after the temporary intervention. This increase is sustained to some extent several months after the intervention. Moreover, participants’ dissatisfaction is almost eliminated. We conclude that public transport use incentives are promising not only for encouraging sustainable travel behavior but also for increasing people’s satisfaction.

Religion and motives for sustainable behaviors: A cross-cultural comparison and contrast

Many previous studies investigate altruism's influence on sustainable behaviors, yet few studies examine the more foundational relation between religion and sustainable consumption-related behaviors. Therefore, this paper builds on values research, self-determination theory, and inoculation theory to examine the link between religion and sustainable behaviors from a sample of both South Korean and US consumers (N=388, average age=33). Results show a moderating effect of religiosity with consumers who are more religious being more likely to participate in sustainable behaviors (e.g., purchasing green cleaning supplies, recycling, purchasing organic foods). In contrast to Christians and Atheists, highly religious Buddhists more likely participate in sustainable behaviors, with little difference between locations. Interestingly, differences exist with minority religions (e.g., Buddhists in the US) that change agents must note to maximize the effectiveness of campaigns encouraging sustainable behaviors.

College Students’ Perceptions of Sustainability: A Regional Survey

Understanding college students’ perception of sustainability is paramount as today’s students will soon be driving our economy and taking on the responsibility of maintaining a sustainable society. This study conducted a survey of college students attending two regional universities in the United States to capture their current experience levels, expectations, and perceptions with regard to various aspects of sustainability utilizing a questionnaire consisting of structured questions about sustainability knowledge/familiarity levels, green product purchase behavior, attitude-behavior relationship, and sustainability education. The results reveal useful insights into the students’ views on these topics and the demographic data collected were further analyzed to identify any differences due to educational background, academic standing, and gender. The study’s findings support the growing importance of encouraging sustainable behavior among college students and provide a benchmark against which to measure the effectiveness of future efforts to improve sustainability education and foster sustainable behaviors.

Reinvigorating health systems and community-based services to improve maternal health outcomes: case study from northern Nigeria.

Maternal health outcomes in Nigeria, the most populous African nation, are among the worst in the world, and urgent efforts to improve the situation are critical as the deadline (2015) for achieving the Millennium Development Goals draws near. To evaluate the results of an integrated maternal, newborn, and child health (MNCH) program to improve maternal health outcomes in Northern Nigeria. The intervention model integrated critical health system and community-based improvements aimed at encouraging sustainable MNCH behavior change. Control Local Government Areas received less intense statewide policy changes. We assessed the impact of the intervention on maternal health outcomes in 3 northern Nigerian states by comparing data from 2360 women in 2009 and 4628 women in 2013 who had a birth or pregnancy in the 5 years prior to the survey. From 2009 to 2013, women with standing permission from their husband to go to the health center doubled (from 40.2% to 82.7%), and health care utilization increased. The proportions of women who delivered with a skilled birth attendant increased from 11.2% to 23.9%, and the proportion of women having at least 1 antenatal care (ANC) visit doubled from 24.9% to 48.8%. ANC was increasingly provided by trained community health extension workers at the primary health center, who provided ANC to 34% of all women with recent pregnancies in 2013. In 2013, 22% of women knew at least 4 maternal danger signs compared with 10% in 2009. Improvements were significantly greater in the intervention communities that received the additional demand-side interventions. The improvements between 2009 and 2013 demonstrate the measurable impact on maternal health outcomes of the program through local communities and primary health care services. The significant improvements in communities with the complete intervention show the importance of an integrated approach blending supply- and demand-side interventions.

Development of a Technological Platform for Implementing VTBC Programs

This paper presents the architecture of a technology platform constructed for the purpose of conducting personalised campaigns for promoting sustainable transportation. In particular, the proposed platform is designed to automate phases and activities of a Voluntary Travel Behaviour Change programme (VTBC), with a view to extending it to the large scale, reducing the resource commitment. A VTBC pilot test on a small convenience sample is also presented that aims to better define some features such as form and content of Personalised Travel Plans (PTP) and reinforcing messages provided to participants with a view to encouraging sustainable travel behaviour.

Changing the marketplace one behavior at a time: Perceived marketplace influence and sustainable consumption

This study introduces the construct of Perceived Marketplace Influence (PMI) and investigates its role in mediating the relationship between environmental concern and sustainable consumption behavior. A nationwide survey shows that Perceived Marketplace Influence plays an important role in mediating the relationship between concern and behavior, providing an explanation for prior inconsistencies in this relationship. Accordingly, Perceived Marketplace Influence plays a purposeful role in transforming environmental concern into behavior. This project extends previous research on the relationship between values, beliefs, and behavior by showing that one's perception of influence on the marketplace behavior of others significantly influences one's own marketplace behavior. Improved understanding of this relationship provides updated guidance to firms and policymakers for projecting and encouraging sustainable consumption behavior.

Encouraging pro-environmental behaviour: the role of sustainability-focused events

Tourism is a potential setting for encouraging sustainable behaviour. One popular mechanism is to stage events with a sustainability focus, aimed at fostering behaviour change amongst attendees. This paper reports on a study of a sustainability-focused event in Australia. The Transtheoretical Model (TTM) was used to explore if and how this event could potentially promote pro-environmental behaviour change amongst attendees. TTM provides a five-stage framework, linked to a series of 10 processes of change, with both attitudinal and behavioural dimensions. The stages comprise pre-contemplation, contemplation, preparation, action and maintenance. Findings suggest that this event attracts individuals already significantly committed to sustainable behaviour who are using the event as a source of encouragement and positive feedback for their lifestyle choices. They are not the audience that the organisers need to reach in order to achieve their aim of behaviour change on a broader scale. This event did, however, support the processes of change, particularly for those in the “action” and “maintenance” stages. This paper considers the implications of these findings and TTM as a research tool for the future promotion and marketing of these events to tourists, possible applications to tourism fairs and exhibitions, and to behavioural change in tourism generally.