IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v10y2018i8p2746-d161840.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Pro-Environmental Behaviour in Student Residences at Rhodes University, South Africa

Author

Listed:
  • Gladman Thondhlana

    (Department of Environmental Science, Rhodes University, Grahamstown 6140, South Africa)

  • Thina N. Hlatshwayo

    (Department of Psychology, Rhodes University, Grahamstown 6140, South Africa)

Abstract

Human behaviour is at the centre of most environmental problems; hence, the promotion of pro-environmental behaviour is considered to be a pathway towards sustainability. Despite the availability of insights gained from pro-environmental behaviour studies, mainly from household and workplace settings, a key question remains—can these insights be applied in university residence settings? Within university campuses, student residences are a major entity in sustainability debates because they are major consumers of resources including paper, water and energy with severe repercussions for university budgets and the environment. Using a questionnaire survey, this study explores reported pro-environmental behaviour and its determinants at Rhodes University, South Africa. Data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics where relevant. The findings show a high level of heterogeneity in reported pro-environmental behaviour, attributed to a suite of internal and external factors. Internal dispositional factors seemed to constrain students from acting pro-environmentally. This study highlights the need to encourage environmental behaviour in university residence settings by supporting the antecedents of and getting rid of barriers to pro-environmental actions.

Suggested Citation

  • Gladman Thondhlana & Thina N. Hlatshwayo, 2018. "Pro-Environmental Behaviour in Student Residences at Rhodes University, South Africa," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(8), pages 1-19, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:10:y:2018:i:8:p:2746-:d:161840
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/10/8/2746/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/10/8/2746/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Lynn, Peter, 2014. "Distinguishing dimensions of pro-environmental behaviour," ISER Working Paper Series 2014-19, Institute for Social and Economic Research.
    2. Yen, Yu-Xiang & Yen, Shang-Yung, 2012. "Top-management's role in adopting green purchasing standards in high-tech industrial firms," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 65(7), pages 951-959.
    3. The Ninh Nguyen & Hoang Viet Nguyen & Antonio Lobo & The Son Dao, 2017. "Encouraging Vietnamese Household Recycling Behavior: Insights and Implications," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(2), pages 1-15, January.
    4. Ajzen, Icek, 1991. "The theory of planned behavior," Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Elsevier, vol. 50(2), pages 179-211, December.
    5. Faye V. McDonald, 2014. "Developing an Integrated Conceptual Framework of Pro-Environmental Behavior in the Workplace through Synthesis of the Current Literature," Administrative Sciences, MDPI, vol. 4(3), pages 1-28, August.
    6. Murtagh, Niamh & Nati, Michele & Headley, William R. & Gatersleben, Birgitta & Gluhak, Alexander & Imran, Muhammad Ali & Uzzell, David, 2013. "Individual energy use and feedback in an office setting: A field trial," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 62(C), pages 717-728.
    7. Green, Tom L., 2013. "Teaching (un)sustainability? University sustainability commitments and student experiences of introductory economics," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 94(C), pages 135-142.
    8. Michael Nye & Tom Hargreaves, 2010. "Exploring the Social Dynamics of Proenvironmental Behavior Change," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 14(1), pages 137-149, January.
    9. Zachary Brown, 2014. "Greening Household Behaviour: Cross-domain Comparisons in Environmental Attitudes and Behaviours Using Spatial Effects," OECD Environment Working Papers 68, OECD Publishing.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Lianfeng Ma & Pomi Shahbaz & Shamsheer ul Haq & Ismet Boz, 2023. "Exploring the Moderating Role of Environmental Education in Promoting a Clean Environment," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(10), pages 1-19, May.
    2. Qiang Wu & Jacob Cherian & Sarminah Samad & Ubaldo Comite & Huajie Hu & Stefan B. Gunnlaugsson & Judit Oláh & Muhammad Safdar Sial, 2021. "The Role of CSR and Ethical Leadership to Shape Employees’ Pro-Environmental Behavior in the Era of Industry 4.0. A Case of the Banking Sector," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(17), pages 1-20, August.
    3. Piyapong Janmaimool & Jaruwan Chontanawat, 2021. "Do University Students Base Decisions to Engage in Sustainable Energy Behaviors on Affective or Cognitive Attitudes?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(19), pages 1-18, September.
    4. Majdi M. Alomari & Hania El-Kanj & Ayse Topal, 2021. "Analysis of Energy Conservation Behavior at the Kuwaiti Academic Buildings," International Journal of Energy Economics and Policy, Econjournals, vol. 11(1), pages 219-232.
    5. Saeid Karimi & Genovaitė Liobikienė & Heshmatollah Saadi & Fatemeh Sepahvand, 2021. "The Influence of Media Usage on Iranian Students’ Pro-Environmental Behaviors: An Application of the Extended Theory of Planned Behavior," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(15), pages 1-19, July.
    6. Olawale Fatoki, 2022. "Determinants of Employee Electricity Saving Behavior in Small Firms: The Role of Benefits and Leadership," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(9), pages 1-20, April.
    7. Ayodeji P. Ifegbesan & Isaac T. Rampedi & Biodun Ogunyemi & Lee-Ann Modley, 2022. "Predicting Pro-Environmental Behaviour amongst Citizens in African Countries: A Cross-National Study amongst Six African Countries," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(15), pages 1-18, July.
    8. Leïla Traoré & Bienvenue Belinga & Guillaume Lescuyer, 2023. "A Systematic Review of the Scope and Patterns of Green Consumption in Sub-Saharan Africa," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(8), pages 1-17, April.
    9. Olawale Fatoki, 2019. "Hotel Employees’ Pro-Environmental Behaviour: Effect of Leadership Behaviour, Institutional Support and Workplace Spirituality," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(15), pages 1-15, July.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Piyapong Janmaimool & Jaruwan Chontanawat, 2021. "Do University Students Base Decisions to Engage in Sustainable Energy Behaviors on Affective or Cognitive Attitudes?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(19), pages 1-18, September.
    2. Antonio Paone & Jean-Philippe Bacher, 2018. "The Impact of Building Occupant Behavior on Energy Efficiency and Methods to Influence It: A Review of the State of the Art," Energies, MDPI, vol. 11(4), pages 1-19, April.
    3. Ellen Fogarty & Beverley Clarke & Kirstin E. Ross, 2021. "Investigating Food Waste Recycling in Local Food Service Businesses: A Case Study from a Local Government Area in Australia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(24), pages 1-12, December.
    4. Hong Thi Thu Nguyen & Rern-Jay Hung & Chun-Hung Lee & Hang Thi Thu Nguyen, 2018. "Determinants of Residents’ E-Waste Recycling Behavioral Intention: A Case Study from Vietnam," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(1), pages 1-24, December.
    5. Yam B. Limbu & Long Pham & Thuy Thi Thu Nguyen, 2022. "Predictors of Green Cosmetics Purchase Intentions among Young Female Consumers in Vietnam," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(19), pages 1-15, October.
    6. Melissa Nursey-Bray & Robert Palmer & Bridie Meyer-Mclean & Thomas Wanner & Cris Birzer, 2019. "The Fear of Not Flying: Achieving Sustainable Academic Plane Travel in Higher Education Based on Insights from South Australia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(9), pages 1-22, May.
    7. Adeleke Oladapo Banwo & Jianguo Du, 2019. "Workplace pro-environmental behaviors in small and medium-sized enterprises: an employee level analysis," Journal of Global Entrepreneurship Research, Springer;UNESCO Chair in Entrepreneurship, vol. 9(1), pages 1-20, December.
    8. Wei-Ta Fang & Mei-Hsuan Huang & Bai-You Cheng & Rong-Jeo Chiu & Yi-Te Chiang & Chun-Wei Hsu & Eric Ng, 2021. "Applying a Comprehensive Action Determination Model to Examine the Recycling Behavior of Taipei City Residents," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(2), pages 1-18, January.
    9. Adina-Iuliana Jigani & Camelia Delcea & Corina Ioanăș, 2020. "Consumers’ Behavior in Selective Waste Collection: A Case Study Regarding the Determinants from Romania," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(16), pages 1-35, August.
    10. Xie, Chengyang & Ding, Hongxing & Zhang, Huan & Yuan, Jingfeng & Su, Shu & Tang, Meiling, 2021. "Exploring the psychological mechanism underlying the relationship between organizational interventions and employees’ energy-saving behaviors," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 156(C).
    11. Emrullah Erul & Kyle Maurice Woosnam & Tara J. Denley, 2022. "Modelling Residents’ Perspectives of Tourism Opposition in US Counties with the Highest Historical Numbers of Reported COVID-19 Cases," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(24), pages 1-16, December.
    12. Daiva Dumciuviene & Akvile Cibinskiene & Meda Andrijauskiene, 2019. "Determinants of Energy Saving: Evidence from a Vocational School in Greece," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(19), pages 1-16, September.
    13. Quynh Anh Nguyen & Luc Hens & Charlotte MacAlister & Lester Johnson & Boripat Lebel & Sinh Bach Tan & Hung Manh Nguyen & The Ninh Nguyen & Louis Lebel, 2018. "Theory of Reasoned Action as a Framework for Communicating Climate Risk: A Case Study of Schoolchildren in the Mekong Delta in Vietnam," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(6), pages 1-14, June.
    14. Kai Chen & Ting Deng, 2016. "Research on the Green Purchase Intentions from the Perspective of Product Knowledge," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(9), pages 1-16, September.
    15. Aneta Mikuła & Małgorzata Raczkowska & Monika Utzig, 2021. "Pro-Environmental Behaviour in the European Union Countries," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(18), pages 1-19, September.
    16. Akvile Cibinskiene & Daiva Dumciuviene & Meda Andrijauskiene, 2020. "Energy Consumption in Public Buildings: The Determinants of Occupants’ Behavior," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(14), pages 1-23, July.
    17. Menzel, Susanne, 2013. "Are emotions to blame? — The impact of non-analytical information processing on decision-making and implications for fostering sustainability," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 96(C), pages 71-78.
    18. Ossama Ahmed Labib & Latifah Manaf & Amir Hamzah Sharaai & Siti Sarah Mohamad Zaid, 2021. "Understanding the Effect of Internal and External Factors on Households’ Willingness to Sort Waste in Dammam City, Saudi Arabia," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(18), pages 1-18, September.
    19. Gaurav Chawla & Peter Lugosi & Rebecca Hawkins, 2022. "Factors Influencing Hospitality Employees’ Pro-Environmental Behaviours toward Food Waste," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(15), pages 1-15, July.
    20. Ozawa-Meida, Leticia & Wilson, Caroline & Fleming, Paul & Stuart, Graeme & Holland, Carl, 2017. "Institutional, social and individual behavioural effects of energy feedback in public buildings across eleven European cities," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 110(C), pages 222-233.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:10:y:2018:i:8:p:2746-:d:161840. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.