Motivation Environment Research Articles

Vulnerability to natural disasters and sustainable consumption: Unraveling political and regional differences

The urgent calls for action on climate change underscore the importance of increasing sustainable behavior among individuals who have traditionally veered away from it, such as those on the political right. Utilizing data from four geopolitical regions across 24 countries, we explore whether vulnerability to natural disasters, brought on by either experiencing or anticipating a natural disaster, is a crucial factor. We find that as vulnerability to natural disasters increases, sustainable consumption intentions significantly increase among rightists in Western Europe, Israel, and the United States. Environmental motives, rather than economic or trend motives, are found to drive this effect. This suggests that, for rightists, the expectation of being directly impacted by climate change can override their established attitudes and foster more sustainable behavior with the goal of helping the environment. In contrast, the same increase in sustainable consumption intentions is weaker among leftists, who already embrace sustainable behavior. Interestingly, in Central and Eastern Europe, this interplay between political ideology and vulnerability to natural disasters is absent, highlighting the unique postcommunist context of this region. These findings underscore the necessity of tailored strategies for promoting sustainable behavior across regional contexts and provide vital insight into how sustainable consumption may increase among groups that have traditionally resisted it. In a quasiexperiment, we test the potential of an intervention using messages that highlight recent natural disasters in one's locality and demonstrate its effectiveness in pushing rightists toward sustainable consumption.

TOWARDS SUSTAINABLE VOLCANO TOURISM: UNDERSTANDING VISIT INTENTIONS AT MOUNT ANAK KRAKATAU THROUGH DESTINATION CREDIBILITY AND ENVIRONMENTAL MOTIVATION

This study aims to analyse the elements that affect people's intention to visit Mount Anak Krakatauthrough focusing on the influence of destination publicity, destination credibility, and environmental motivation in the context of volcano tourism. This study involves 225 tourists who were selected using a convenient sample procedure. The data underwent rigorous examination by exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, and structural equation modelling. The research results are as follows: The initial hypothesis demonstrated that a destination's sustainability significantly impacts its credibility. Whilst the second hypothesis confirmed that the sustainability of a destination substantially affects environmen tal motivation. The third hypothesis supported the notion that the credibility of a destination has a significant influence on environmental motivation. The fourth hypothesis established that the credibility of a destination has a considerable effect o n visit intention. Lastly, the fifth hypothesis affirmed that environmental motivation significantly impacts visit intention. Taken together, these findings enhance the comprehension of volcano tourism, destination marketing, and consumer behaviour.

How Warm-Glow, Economic, Environmental, and Health Motives Influence Farmers’ Satisfaction in Practicing Organic Farming in Java, Indonesia

Numerous studies have been conducted on organic farming motives, however, less focus has been directed to warm-glow motives—the novelty of this study. This study aims to elaborate on the impact of the warm glow in addition to economic, environmental, and health motives on farmers’ satisfaction in practicing organic farming. This study was conducted in Sleman Regency of Yogyakarta Province as well as Magelang and Semarang Regencies of Central Java Province, Indonesia. By using a structured questionnaire, 259 certified organic farmers were interviewed. A 5-point Likert scale from strongly disagree to strongly agree was employed. A structural equation model (SEM) was utilized to analyze the relationship between the four motives and their influences on farmers’ satisfaction in practicing organic farming. The results revealed that warm-glow motives demonstrated a significant positive effect on the satisfaction of farmers in practicing organic farming concurrently with economic, health, and environmental motives. The significant effect of warm-glow motives has provided a new perspective in understanding their role in organic farming. The study discovered that warm-glow motives corresponded to the noble values of local society and were suitable for developing the organic farming system. The study also disclosed that by encouraging warm-glow motives, farmers could enhance their satisfaction by achieving their goals in economic, health, and environmental aspects. In other words, improving farmers’ satisfaction in organic farming by reinforcing their warm-glow motives was crucial.

From Posts to Action: Leveraging Social Media to Inspire Food Waste Reduction in Hospitality for a Net Zero Future

This study explores the contribution of social media to food waste reduction among hospitality customers as part of the global net zero emissions agenda. It does this by using the Stimulus–Organism–Response (SOR) model to examine how social media food waste reduction promotion affects hospitality customer food waste intentions, mediated by social media-driven environmental motivation and sustainability-driven customer happiness. Moreover, gratitude towards food waste initiatives moderates these effects such that motivation and emotional satisfaction are more strongly associated with sustainable behaviors. We find that social media campaigns can effectively elicit cognitive and emotional engagement, which in turn strengthens food waste reduction intentions, using data from 404 hospitality customers in China. Furthermore, the study extends the SOR model to sustainability and consumer behavior literature and provides practical guidance for hospitality businesses to harness social media in engaging customers in sustainability efforts. Organizations can enhance the effectiveness of their environmental campaigns by using emotionally resonant messages and highlighting gratitude. Filling important gaps, this research explores mechanisms driving sustainable behaviors in line with strategies to achieve net zero emissions.

Risking established businesses: Does the green capital city encourage sustainable green entrepreneurship pioneering?

In the context of establishing businesses in a new region, neglecting environmental orientation may lead to the omission of crucial motives for entrepreneurs’ migration and the subsequent course of their businesses. This present study aims to investigate the effect of green space quality (GSQ), green campaign (GC), and green attitude (GA) on green entrepreneurship pioneering intention (GEPI). Further, national pride (NP) was added as a moderator. This study utilized a cross-sectional approach using a survey method targeting small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) owners who will be relocated to the new capital city. Partial least square structural equation modeling was employed in the data analysis. The results revealed that GSQ, GC, and GA positively influence GEPI. Also, NP moderates the positive influences of GC and GA on GEPI. Entrepreneurs were motivated to pioneer green entrepreneurship in the new region due to environmental factors. Furthermore, their nationalism reinforces the connection between environmental motivations and the aspirations to undertake such pioneering endeavors. The findings present valuable insights for governments to formulate policies that encourage entrepreneurs to migrate internally and establish new economic nodes. Further, the results demonstrate how nationalism encourages green business pioneering endeavors in an untapped market.

Political Common Ground on Preserving Nature: Environmental Motives Across the Political Spectrum

Environmental issues are becoming increasingly politically polarized, making common ground essential. This research investigated the political common ground of environmental motives—the reasons why nature is worth preserving. Natural language processing of liberals’ and conservatives’ open text responses (Study 1: N = 1,544) identified 12 central motives. Political common ground was shared on the most cited motives: Human survival, moral obligations to future generations, and appreciation for nature’s beauty. Political differences emerged on motives related to climate change risks and religious stewardship. Study 2 ( N = 796) replicated these findings using a validated self-report questionnaire based on participant responses in Study 1. Factor analysis indicated motives belonged to four categories: Responsibility to nature, instrumental benefits, childhood experiences, and religious stewardship. These motives explained substantial variance in environmental attitudes and partially accounted for political differences in attitudes. The studies used mixed methods and direct/conceptual replication to build confidence in key findings and longstanding theoretical frameworks.

Integrating drivers of pro-environmental behavior and physical activity to explore (in) compatibilities between an active and an environmentally sustainable lifestyle.

Sport and outdoor activities have benefits on people's health and well-being but may also increase the frequency of unsustainable behaviors. The present study explores drivers of travel mode choice and consumption of material (clothes and equipment) associated with physical activity to clarify the extent to which an active and sustainable lifestyle is compatible. The role of identity and varying levels of internalized motivation for pro-environmental behaviors (autonomous and controlled environmental motivation) and engagement in physical activity (autonomous and controlled activity motivation) was examined. In addition, socio-demographic, physical context, and life situation correlates of environmentally significant behaviors associated with physical activity were analyzed. A survey of a random sample of the general public in Sweden (n = 1013) was conducted. After controlling for hours of physical activity, the study showed that environmental self-identity was related to a lower likelihood of using the car alone via autonomous environmental motivation and to a higher likelihood of buying and selling used material via controlled environmental motivation. Physical activity drivers displayed diverse impacts on environmentally significant behaviors, e.g., athlete identity was associated with a higher likelihood of using the car alone and buying new material, but also selling used material. Being a member of a sport or outdoor organization was related to a higher likelihood of using the car alone and buying new material, but also using active travel modes as well as buying and selling used material. With a better understanding of the drivers of environmentally significant behaviors in this domain, strategies to encourage sustainable transport and circular flows of material in sports and outdoors can be outlined.

Sentiments, barriers and predictors of acceptance for meat alternatives among UK meat consumers

There is a growing global demand for diets to be better for the environment and for human health. To support the shift toward sustainable diets, it is crucial to understand consumer attitudes and the barriers they face. To achieve this aim, this paper addresses the questions: What are the prevailing sentiments of UK meat consumers towards meat alternatives? What barriers do UK meat consumers face in trying and sustaining the consumption of meat alternatives? Data was obtained from 1074 UK respondents. The majority of respondents (82.4%) had tried plant-based meat alternatives, whereas most had not tried edible insects (88.8%), cultured meat (96.5%) or algae (73.7%). Sentiments towards plant-based alternatives were mainly positive while views on cultured meat, insects, and algae were more mixed or negative. Motivations for accepting and eating meat alternatives were primarily personal health benefits, animal welfare and environmental reasons in order of ranking. The results show that 18% are very likely to include meat alternatives in their future diets, followed by 39% who are open to the possibility and may consider it under the right circumstances. Ordered logistic regression identified several significant predictors for incorporating meat alternatives into future diets. Positive predictors included price competitiveness, variety, environmental motivation, health benefits, past experience with plant-based meat and algae and gender. Conversely, frequent meat consumption and safety concerns were negative predictors and reduced the odds of incorporating meat alternatives into diets. Key actions which consumers opine would encourage acceptance of meat alternatives includes educational programs, financial incentives and media campaigns with strong support for coordinated stakeholder efforts.

Car sharing user groups and their changes in car ownership: A latent cluster analysis

Car sharing contributes to reducing emissions, resource depletion, and land take, by promoting more efficient use of vehicles that on average sit idle 96% of the time. But consumer adoption remains limited. User segmentation studies can inform efforts to mobilize potential users to join car sharing, and to anticipate what their needs and usage characteristics will be. This paper proposes a comprehensive segmentation method based on socio-demographic variables, which reveals differences in preferences for car sharing platform type, usage characteristics and societal outcomes of car sharing use. To do so, we apply a three step Latent Cluster Analysis to a nationwide sample of active car sharing users. This method results in a set of user segments that reflect distinct life phases, with different needs in terms of the frequency and type of trips made by car sharing. This is reflected in different preferences for car sharing platform types, as the likelihood to use peer-to-peer car sharing as opposed to business-to-consumer car sharing differs by user segment. The segments do not differ substantially in their motivations for engaging with car sharing. Yet, environmental motivations for car sharing outrank financial motivations, while social motivations play no substantial role. The clusters do show substantial differences in the changes in car ownership that occur while being an active car sharing member as well as the likelihood to use car sharing in place of a private car rather than public transport or walking and biking. We conclude that a comprehensive segmentation method based on socio-demographic variables provides actionable insights for upscaling car sharing adoption, as well as targeting specific user segments in order to optimize societal outcomes from car sharing use.

Climate change mitigation: A question of humanitarian or environmental motivation?

Addressing climate change at the individual level and the associated conflict between self-interest and the common good is viewed primarily as a motivational challenge in the environmental domain. However, due to this conflict, climate change mitigation has also been framed as a classical social dilemma that requires direct, overt cooperation with other people. Thus, there seems to be a lack of clarity in the extents to which climate change mitigation depends on humanitarian-prosocial motivation or environmental motivation. This study investigates the extents to which individual climate change mitigation is driven by humanitarian and environmental motivation – two motivations that are rooted in an inherent human prosocial propensity that stems from a combination of our genetic makeup and our established culture of prosocial behavior. We conducted a laboratory experiment using an adapted Public Goods Game in an environmental context with N = 201 participants. We found that both humanitarian and environmental motivation positively predicted pro-environmental choices in the Public Goods Game, with humanitarian motivation as the stronger predictor. On a theoretical level, these results suggest that environmentally positive behaviors that demand significant cooperation could be more accurately understood as both humanitarian-prosocial behaviors and pro-environmental actions. On a practical level, interventions should be tailored to the required level of cooperation, for instance, through framing or by promoting a sense of connectedness with either fellow humans or nature.

A cross-generational analysis of second-hand online shopping: comparing GenX, millennials and GenZ

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to examine whether there are differences in second-hand online shopping behavior driven by the generational cohort.Design/methodology/approachBased on the generational cohort theory, this research examines what factors influence and prevent the purchase of second-hand products online, comparing generational cohorts. For this purpose, data are analyzed through multiple-group structural equation modeling (SEM) (Gen X = 176; Millennials = 197; Gen Z = 233).FindingsFindings report noticeable different motivations and barriers across consumer generations in their second-hand shopping behavior: Gen X are mostly driven by economic motivations; Gen Z are driven by ethical motives, while economic and environmental motivations exert greater influence for Millennials. Conversely, functional risk is the main barrier for the three generational cohorts.Originality/valueTo the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is one first attempt to examine why different generational cohorts of consumers purchase or prevent from purchasing used items through the internet.

Speaking green – expressing a message in a foreign language fosters consumers’ pro-environmental choices

The imperative for pro-environmental behavior is growing globally, with green advertising encouraging sustainable choices. However, acting pro-environmentally often comes with negative monetary or behavioral consequences for individuals (i.e. costs). Because using a foreign language (vs. native language) changes how people make decisions, language interventions have been proposed as a possible way to nudge people toward more sustainable behavior. This research presents two experimental studies. Study 1 shows a higher willingness to choose a more sustainable product in response to a foreign language advertising message. Study 2 provides evidence that using a foreign language increases individuals’ willingness to engage in pro-environmental behavior that does not benefit themselves. We attribute these finding to the fact that communicating to consumers in a foreign language attenuates perceived behavioral costs associated with pro-environmental behavior. Our study is among the first to demonstrate language-induced effects on consequential sustainable behavior. However, the effect decreases with higher levels of individual environmental motivation.

Creating and sustaining urban green spaces in Africa under phenomenal urbanisation: residents’ perspectives on home gardens in Wa, Ghana

Attaining the goals of the New Urban Agenda and Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 11, which aims for sustainable, inclusive, and resilient cities, necessitates accelerated efforts to green urban environments. While keeping home gardens is not new, it offers a unique potential as a deliberate strategy for urban greening in Africa. However, Ghana has limited empirical evidence regarding the motivations, challenges, and constraints of keeping domestic gardens, which is essential for informing urban greenery policy. This study addresses this knowledge gap by employing the self-determination theory and conducting an exploratory cross-sectional survey with 285 structured questionnaires administered to residents in seven rapidly growing neighbourhoods in Wa, Ghana. The results reveal that 56% of respondents had gardens within their properties, with beautification (56.1%) and food production (52.3%) being the primary motivations. Vegetables (46.7%) and trees (30.2%) were the most commonly cultivated plants. Conversely, limited space (49%) and busy schedules (34%) were identified as the main barriers to home gardening. The findings indicate that the motivation for owning gardens aligns with the autonomy need of the self-determination theory. In contrast, the relationship need, which correlates with environmental motivations, was notably low among residents. The study recommends that local authorities, civil society organisations, and neighbourhood planning committees implement aggressive sensitisation and education campaigns to promote the environmental benefits of domestic gardening.

The impact of explaining vegetarian meal requests on the affective responses and perceptions of meat eaters

Social situations can present challenges for those looking to reduce or avoid eating meat. In an experimental vignette study with a large representative sample of 1,117 UK-based meat eaters, we explore affective responses to requests for vegetarian meals and perceptions of those making the request across four social situations: a BBQ, a pub, a restaurant dinner, and a dinner party. We examine moderators of these perceptions including whether the requester presents themselves as vegetarian or a meat restrictor and whether they cite health, environmental or no motives for their request. Overall, we find that these moderators have a greater impact on meat eaters’ perceptions of the requester than on their affective responses to the request. We also find that these outcomes are more impacted by the mention of motives than they are diet type. Standout findings include evidence that people citing environmental motives for their vegetarian meal request are perceived more negatively, while those with health motives are perceived more positively. We also identify substantial heterogeneity across the respondents’ levels of meat attachment: those who are more attached to meat have more negative perceptions of vegetarian meal requesters and experience higher negative affect and lower positive affect in response to the request.

Motivations behind Active Sport Tourists Participating in Natural and Cultural Landscapes

Recreational running, both on roads and in mountains, is one of the most practiced physical activities worldwide, and so, the motivations behind participating have been quite extensively described in the literature. However, the cultural and environmental motivations behind these athletes traveling to other countries or destinations to compete have not been properly addressed yet. The aim of this research is to analyze the motivations of sport tourists and to compare the motivations that cause mountain runners and city runners to compete. A cross-sectional study with a total of 244 athletes, divided into a group of city marathon runners (N = 118) and a group of mountain ultra-marathon runners (N = 126), was conducted. Athletes completed the Sports Tourism Motivation Scale (STMS), composed of 37 items and nine dimensions, through an online survey. Participants were asked questions related to their age, running experience, distance to events, numbers of nights in hotels and volunteering. The results showed that there were statistically significant differences in four out of the nine dimensions of the STMS between city and mountain runners’ motivations and, likewise, statistical differences were found in some dimensions of the scale related to participants’ sex, age, running experience, numbers of nights in a hotel, travel distance and volunteering. In conclusion, the reasons why runners participate in mountain and city running events are different; likewise, some sociodemographic variables should be taken into account when organizing such sporting events in a sustainable way, in order to provide organizers with the most suitable information and attract the most participants.

Examining senior citizens in public transport: The role of digitalization, environmental concern, and traveler satisfaction

Increasing the share of travelers using public transport is one way to address environmental problems such as carbon dioxide emissions. Senior citizens represent an increasingly important group in this transition, as they are increasingly mobile and make up a large share of the population. In this paper, we investigate senior citizen’s mobility decision-making, focusing on public transport. Through a survey of 5,000 people in three metropolitan areas in Sweden, we find that while senior citizens desire to live in harmony with nature, they are less likely to see car traffic as a cause of environmental problems. They also struggle with the development of digital service delivery options of public transport. For instance, they use apps less, and like using timetables on paper and signs at bus stops more than younger public transport users. Even so, they are more satisfied with public transport than younger travelers, indicating that many seniors like using public transport, despite lacking the environmental motivations to do so.

The effect of parents' social and educational level and parental encouragement on environmental motivation among university students

Parental factors, such as educational and social levels, significantly influence children's personality development, creativity, and success. This study examines how parents' social and educational levels, along with parental encouragement, impact university students' motivation towards environmental protection. A random sample of 200 students from Al Ain University, Abu Dhabi campus, was surveyed. The results reveal no statistically significant differences in the responses regarding the role of parents in educating children about environmental preservation based on either parents' socioeconomic level (p = 0.174, p > 0.05) or educational level (p = 0.174, p > 0.05). The study found no statistically significant impact of parents' socioeconomic or educational levels on students' environmental motivation (p > 0.05). Implications for environmental education are discussed. The study underscores the importance of holistic environmental education efforts, advocating for raising awareness of pollution's impacts, fostering an environmental ethos, and encouraging responsible interaction with the environment, while recommending inclusive educational programs and enhanced community engagement to promote sustainable environmental stewardship.

Profit motives, environmental motives, and perceived corporate greenwashing revisited: A replication and extension of de Vries et al. (2015)

Profit motives, environmental motives, and perceived corporate greenwashing revisited: A replication and extension of de Vries et al. (2015)

Green entrepreneurship: Opportunities and challenges for the transition to a circular economy in Togo, West Africa

The traditional linear economic model, characterized by extraction, production, consumption, and waste disposal, has increasingly exposed its limitations, particularly in the depletion of natural resources and the acceleration of global warming, which are critical global issues. These challenges inherent in the linear economy have prompted a shift towards a circular economy. This study analyzes the opportunities and challenges for transitioning to a circular economy through green entrepreneurship among 29 environmentally friendly entrepreneurs in Togo, West Africa. The descriptive analysis of the results revealed that green entrepreneurs are mainly motivated by economic factors, such as job creation and business opportunities, which take precedence over environmental motivations. However, they face significant challenges, including a lack of access to appropriate financing and complex administrative procedures that affect their growth. It is essential to develop themselves, provide specific support by alleviating bureaucratic obstacles to access to finance, and meet economic and environmental goals from green entrepreneurship. In addition, it's important to advocate for pro-environmental behavior among the general public and to support research and development to increase understanding of the advantages of promoting environmentally friendly entrepreneurship for sustainable development while combating climate change. Mainstreaming gender into circular economy policies design and implementation for sustainable development is crucial due to the low representativeness of women in green entrepreneurship. These measures will strengthen Togo's economic resilience while enabling the transition to a circular economy, thus aligning financial objectives with environmental preservation in pursuing green entrepreneurship.

Eco? No, Ego-scooters: Steering towards time-saving trails in urban mobility

As cities worldwide face escalating urban congestion and environmental challenges, electric scooters (e-scooters) emerge as a sustainable micromobility solution. This study investigates e-scooter adoption in Türkiye, an emerging economy, to delineate how motivations in such contexts diverge from those in advanced economies. Through a survey of 204 e-scooter users, we dissect the motivations driving both the adoption and continued use of e-scooters, focusing on the interplay between environmental consciousness and practical benefits. Unlike assumptions that might be drawn from advanced economies, our findings indicate that environmental motivations, though significant in global sustainable mobility discourse, do not serve as primary incentives for e-scooter adoption in Türkiye. The research reveals a pronounced preference for immediate, tangible benefits over environmental considerations, suggesting a distinct set of priorities in emerging economies. This insight challenges the one-size-fits-all approach to promoting micromobility and underscores the need for urban mobility policies and strategies to resonate with the specific preferences and daily realities of users in different economic contexts. By highlighting the crucial role of practical advantages in fostering micromobility adoption and sustained use in emerging economies, the study advocates for a tailored approach to advancing sustainable urban mobility.