No time for composting: Subjective time pressure as a barrier to citizen engagement in curbside composting

Media exposure and plastic-reducing behaviours in China: The mediating effect of environmental concern and locus of control

The environmental problems caused by plastic pollution have increased at an astonishing speed. However, attempts to study the dynamics of plastic-reducing behaviours are few and far between. In this regard, based on the attitudinal-contextual-behavioural (ABC) theory of pro-environmental behaviours, this study conducts an online survey to analyse the functioning of media exposure on Chinese consumers' three types of plastic bag reducing behaviours during shopping, including saving inner plastic packaging bags by putting many goods into one bag, hand-carrying and bringing reusable bags. Employing the snowball sampling method, this study successfully collected 361 valid questionnaires for analysis. The findings of this study indicate that environmental concern and locus of control play mediating roles between media exposure and plastic-reducing behaviours. However, the study finds no supporting evidence for the mediating function of plastic pollution knowledge. These results have implications for plastic crisis managers and governmental officials. In designing media content for environmental education campaigns, it is advisable to prioritize strategies that evoke emotions over a sole focus on disseminating knowledge about plastic pollution.

Social Class and Private-Sphere Green Behavior in China: The Mediating Effects of Perceived Status and Environmental Concern

Green behavior is traditionally considered as an effective way to ameliorate environmental degradation and requires an individual to make sacrifices of their social resources. However, few studies have focused on its status signaling. In this study, we draw on the theory of social class and the concept of status signaling theory to empirically investigate the effect of objective social class and perceived social status on private-sphere green behavior in China. Using national comprehensive survey data from China General Survey Data (CGSS) in 2021 subjected to ordinary least-square regression model and step regression models, we present the following results: (1) higher-class individuals, both objectively and subjectively, tend to engage in more private-sphere green behavior than their lower-class counterparts; (2) the effect of objective social class on private-sphere green behavior is mediated by individual's perceived social status in the class hierarchy; (3) environmental concern significantly correlates with private-sphere green behavior, and it also mediates the effect between objective social class and private-sphere green behavior. The present research provides insights into how social class and its psychological manifestations (i.e., perceptions of status) correlate with private-green behavior in China. Our results suggest that more social context factors should be considered when identifying the factors promoting pro-environmental behavior in China.

Familiarity breeds acceptance: Predictors of residents' support for curbside food waste collection in a city with green bin and a city without

Food waste remains a high priority greenhouse gas (GHG) emission problem and household curbside collection - green bin¹ - with mass treatment is often adopted as a viable solution for GHG reduction. The aim of this study is to explore attitudinal and situational predictors of support for residential curbside green bin programs. Using responses to 517 household surveys from the mid-sized Canadian cities of London, Ontario (proposed green bin program) and Kitchener-Waterloo (KW), Ontario (operating green bin program for 10+ years) comparison of means t-tests, correlations and linear regression are used to test five hypotheses derived from the food waste and waste diversion literatures that predict green bin support: situational factors, current food wasting, theory of planned behaviour attitudes, concern that green bin encourages food wasting, and concern that food waste ends up in the garbage regardless of green bin. There is some support for all five hypotheses. Residents in Kitchener-Waterloo were significantly more supportive (83%) than those in London (65%). While residents in both communities are supportive because of the perceived convenience and environmental benefits of the green bin, the number of regression model predictors is greater in London (16 compared to 9 for Kitchener-Waterloo). The findings overall suggest sustained municipal education at the implementation stage may lead to positive resident habituation to green bin and thus, durable public buy-in.

Drivers of Residents’ Home Composting Intention: Integrating the Theory of Planned Behavior, the Norm Activation Model, and the Moderating Role of Composting Knowledge

Home composting is judged as an effective municipal waste management option in which household contribution is essential, but it has a low adoption. The objectives of the study were to determine the factors that influence home composting intention and identify the moderating role of composting knowledge in the model, using the combined model of the theory of planned behavior (TPB) and norm activation model (NAM). A structured questionnaire was applied to a sample of 367 residents of Isfahan city, Iran, randomly selected. Data were analyzed using cluster analysis, discriminant analysis, PLS-SEM, and PLS-MGA. Cluster analysis grouped the three clusters based on the constructs of the integrated model, and this result was confirmed by discriminant analysis. Findings show that attitude, subjective norm, and perceived behavior control can predict the intention to compost. Study results confirmed the positive effect of awareness of the consequences of composting on ascribed responsibility to compost at home, of responsibility to the personal norm, and of the personal norm on intention to compost at home. Furthermore, it was observed that composting knowledge moderates the relationship between subjective norm and behavioral intention, and the one between perceived behavioral control and behavioral intention. The integrated model had more predictive power than the TPB model. The fit statistic of the integrated model was good and 71% of the variance for intention behavior toward home composting. The insights on factors affecting residents’ intention to compost obtained from this study can be used in measures and programs that reinforce and stimulate home composting.

Public views and attitudes about municipal waste management: Empirical evidence from Athens, Greece

One of the major problems of modern cities is waste management. Cooperation and active public participation are key elements in the effective implementation of waste management programs. The purpose of this work is to investigate the views and attitudes of Athens residents towards recycling, composting and the operation of green centers, which are the key elements of solid waste management as it follows from the recently updated National Waste Management Plan. A structured questionnaire was designed and addressed to the residents of Athens. According to the main findings, half of the respondents are involved in recycling, and the majority of the respondents are willing to participate in future composting programs and have a positive opinion about the operation of green centers. The main obstacle for their further participation is their hesitation regarding the proper operation of the programs (recycling, composting, green centers). There is a need to build up the trust between citizens and the state. Active public involvement is required to successfully implement municipal solid waste strategies during all the phases (planning, siting and operation) in order to ensure public acceptance. In addition, targeted information and awareness campaigns can also contribute to this aim.