| Abstract |
Purpose - This study aims to focus on people's pro-environmental behavior and investigates its dimensions and determinants. As environmental sustainability attracts increased scrutiny, understanding end consumers' pro-environmental behavior becomes imperative for various stakeholders in our highly networked marketplace - e.g. policymakers, businesses, consumers, the public and society at large. Design/methodology/approach - Using data from the general public in the USA, the hypothesized relationships are tested using structural equation modeling (SEM). Findings - The results indicate that if people find enjoyment in nature, believe in achieving a balance between "mankind" and nature, and believe that the benefits of conservation activities are going to accrue in the near term (present), they are more likely to engage in pro-environmental behavior at all levels - supportive, active and lifestyle. Research limitations/implications - Although only one aspect of environmental sustainability - environmental conservation - is analyzed, these findings support assertions set forth in the theory of environmentally significant behavior (Stern, 1999), the norm-activation theory of altruism (Schwartz, 1973), the theory of reasoned action (Fishbein, 1979) and the theory of planned behavior (Ajzen, 1985). Practical implications - Messages about sustainability, environmental conservation and pro-environmental behavior should be framed using people's fondness for and enjoyment of nature; should focus on present benefits of conservation; and should be targeted and differentiated for men, women and older people to encourage conservation behaviors among these differing demographic groups. Originality/value - This study identifies three different levels of intensity of pro-environmental behavior - supportive, active and lifestyle - and empirically examines the relationships between these behavior types and the attitudinal antecedents revolving around time when the benefits of environmental conservation accrue, nature and human-nature interaction. |