A variety of factors have been shown to be associated with environmental attitudes but few studies demonstrate a link between these factors and pro-environmental behaviors. This study examined how a future temporal perspective, environmental altruism, and hope are related to (1) engaging in pro-environmental behaviors and (2) length of time engaging in pro-environmental behaviors. Participants completed the Zimbardo Time Perspective Inventory (Zimbardo & Boyd, 1999), a measure of pro-environmental behaviors based on altruistic reasoning, the Trait Hope Scale (Snyder et al., 1991), and a self-report measure which requested that participants estimate how long they have engaged in pro-environmental behaviors. Statistical analyses supported the relationship between altruism and pro-environmental behaviors, however, the role of hope and a future orientation were not supported as potential motivators associated with engaging in pro-environmental behaviors. Altruism continues to be associated with engaging in pro-environmental behaviors, however, it is still unclear what moderates this relationship. Moreover, this research highlights the likelihood that engaging in pro-environmental behaviors is influenced by a complex web of motivating factors.

The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of a variety of factors on environmental attitudes and behaviors. Studies have addressed a number of issues that are related to environmental matters. This examination extends the research in this area by incorporating educational attainment, political ideology, gender, marriage and family formation, religiosity and subjective spirituality, race and ethnicity, as well as several sociodemographic influences. The 2010 General Social Survey is selected for the analysis because it is the most recent data available and contains items pertaining to environmental concern and behavior, and the independent and control variables. Directions for future research in the area will be discussed.

With our country's unsustainable building practices in the residential sector, there is a need to explore new types of housing to mitigate the negative environmental impacts of current building customs. Recently, there has been a surge of interest in tiny homes characterized as livable dwelling units typically under 400 square feet. However, there is a gap in scholarly knowledge that formally examines how the environmental impact and behaviors of tiny home occupants change after downsizing from a larger home. The purpose of this study was to provide measurable evidence to explore the relationship between downsizing to a tiny home and the corresponding environmental impact. This study, which employed an exploratory sequential mixed design approach, was conducted to measure the ecological footprints of tiny home downsizers. Eighty individuals who have lived in their tiny homes for at least a year volunteered to take an online survey used to calculate their ecological footprints in prior larger homes and current tiny homes. Following the survey, nine interviews were conducted to create an inventory of noteworthy behaviors in each participant's lifestyles that potentially influence ecological footprint changes. Data collected from the survey and interviews were analyzed separately and then comparatively to explore relationships between tiny home living and environmental impacts. This study found that among 80 tiny home downsizers located across the United States, the average ecological footprint was 3.9 global hectares (gha). This footprint was substantially less than the average previous ecological footprint of 7.0 gha and the national average of 8.4 gha. All five footprint components were positively influenced, showing that downsizing can influence many parts of one's lifestyle. Over 100 behaviors were identified that could contribute to ecological footprint changes. The overall insights derived from this study indicate that positive environmental impact behaviors outweigh negative ones by approximately six to one when downsizing to a tiny home. In addition, 100% of participants demonstrated an overall positive ecological footprint. The findings and conclusions of this study provide important insights for the sustainable housing industry that can inform policy and practice, with implications for future research in the sustainable residential field. / Doctor of Philosophy / With our country’s unsustainable building practices in the residential sector, there is a need to explore new types of housing to mitigate the negative environmental impacts of current building customs. Recently, there has been a surge of interest in tiny homes characterized as livable dwelling units typically under 400 square feet. However, there is a gap in knowledge to understand how the environmental impact and behaviors of tiny home occupants change after downsizing from a larger home. The purpose of this study was to see whether there is a relationship between downsizing to a tiny home and a changing environmental impact. This study measured the ecological footprints of tiny home downsizers. Eighty individuals who have lived in their tiny homes for at least a year volunteered to take an online survey used to calculate their ecological footprints in prior larger homes and current tiny homes. Following the survey, nine interviews were conducted to identify noteworthy behaviors in each participant’s lifestyles that potentially influence ecological footprint changes. Findings were analyzed and compared to explore relationships between tiny home living and environmental impacts. This study found that among 80 tiny home downsizers located across the United States, the average ecological footprint was 3.9 global hectares (gha). This footprint was substantially less than the average previous ecological footprint of 7.0 gha and the national average of 8.4 gha. All five footprint components were positively influenced, showing that downsizing can influence many parts of one’s lifestyle. Over 100 behaviors were identified that could contribute to ecological footprint changes. This study indicates that positive environmental impact behaviors outweigh negative ones by approximately six to one when downsizing to a tiny home. In addition, 100% of participants demonstrated an overall positive ecological footprint. The findings and conclusions of this study provide important insights for the sustainable housing industry that can inform policy and practice, with implications for future research in the sustainable residential field.

The aim of this study was to examine pre-service science teachers&rsquo / self-determined motivation toward environment and investigate how their basic psychological needs that support their self-determined motivation were fullfilled during the environmental course activities. The thesis includes two main parts: a quantitative part and a qualitative part. In the quantitative part of the study, PSTs&rsquo / motivation toward environment was measured before, after and five months later following the course activities. In the qualitative part of the study, how PSTs&rsquo / basic psychological needs were supported during the course activities was examined through multiple case study method. The study was implemented in an environmental science course. 33 pre-service science teachers who are taking the course participated in the study. Environmental problems which are Easter Island, Environment vs. Economy, Paper vs. Plastic, Ozone Depletion, Why Worry about Extinction?, Hasankeyf and Mamak Garbage Dump were discussed during the six course weeks. Five PSTs, who were chosen as a focus group, were interviewed each week after course discussions. The qualitative data were collected through interviews, discussion recordings, assignments and reflection papers. The results of the study illustrated that PSTs&rsquo / self determined motivation toward environment increased after the course activities and five months later following the course. PSTs&rsquo / negative capacity beliefs causing amotivation toward environment declined after the course activities and in follow up measurement. Finally, qualitative results of the study revealed that supporting cognitive and instructional features of PSTs during the course activities fullfilled their basic psychological needs and thus, fostered their self determined motivation toward environment.

Over-consumption in developed economies undoubtedly puts a large strain on the environment, and many would argue that the damage is irreversible. Current uses and rates of consumption of freshwater resources are also deemed to be unsustainable. A large contributor to the high demand for water is the shift in consumer preferences from tap to bottled water. In the last few decades, bottled water companies have set unprecedented records, surpassing all other types of non-alcoholic beverages to become the second largest beverage market next to soda. Bottled water has been on the rise due to its supposed safety, purity and convenience. Municipal tap water companies have little to no incentive for disproving these theories since tap water continues to be used for non-drinking purposes. Meanwhile, bottled water companies are spending millions of dollars in appealing advertisements, which further fuels distrust of tap water providers. The purpose of this thesis was to determine how consumers understand the differences between bottled and tap water, and how such understandings were linked to individual socioeconomic characteristics, properties of bottled water, knowledge of its environmental costs and advertising and marketing. Since the city of Pensacola in Florida was recently determined to have some of the worst tap water in the country, it presented an interesting case study for the discussion of bottled water consumption. Two separate neighborhoods, chosen based on average income, were surveyed in Pensacola, and residents were asked about their bottled water consumption and preferences. Topics of inquiry included frequency of consumption, reasons for and against bottled water consumption, and opinions and knowledge surrounding bottled water. The majority of respondents of this study regularly drank bottled water regardless of income. Convenience was the most popular reason cited for drinking bottled water, and taste also emerged as an important property. Respondents did not consider themselves to be influenced by advertising and marketing by bottled water companies. Concerns regarding tap water were related to the safety and taste of water supply. Participants were to some extent aware of the environmental implications of drinking bottled water, yet this knowledge did not keep them from drinking bottled water. This thesis thus shows that making people aware of the environmental and economic costs of bottled water is not sufficient to regaining tap water trustworthiness. Instead, the habits of consumerism which make it convenient to purchase bottled water seem to be implicated in the popularity of bottled water.

Climate change is a serious global issue that poses one of the greatest challenges facing human kind (Kazdin, 2009; Stern, 2011; Swim et al., 2011). Given that organizations are often cited as the largest contributors to climate change (Trudeau and Canada West Foundation, 2007), research needs to investigate how organizations can positively affect climate change. Accordingly, the purpose of this dissertation is to investigate how organizations can positively affect climate change through workplace pro-environmental behaviors. To this end, three studies were conducted. The first study investigated the influence of leaders’ environmentally-specific transformational leadership and their own workplace pro-environmental behaviors on employees’ workplace pro-environmental behaviors. The second study examined if environmentally-specific and general transformational leadership are empirically distinct but related, whether environmentally-specific transformational leadership evokes higher levels of workplace pro-environmental behaviors than general transformational leadership, and if so, examined through mediation why this is the case. The third and final study conceptualizes and defines workplace pro-environmental behaviors as a form of organizational citizenship behaviors that are targeted at benefiting the natural environment (OCBE), and subsequently, developed and refined a measure of OCBE and assessed the measure’s psychometric validity. This dissertation concludes with a general discussion and highlights areas for future research. / Thesis (Ph.D, Management) -- Queen's University, 2014-02-12 16:26:52.658

Mindfulness is defined as the ‘awareness that arises through paying attention to the present moment, on purpose, non-judgmentally’. Despite ample empirical evidence of its efficacy in inducing positive behavior change, almost no work has investigated the viability of using mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) to promote pro-environmental behavior. Some recent studies have demonstrated consistent correlational relationships between mindfulness levels and pro-environmental attitudes (e.g., connectedness to nature), intentions, and some pro-environmental behaviors (e.g., recycling, “green” purchasing decisions), but no past work has explicitly examined mindfulness in the context of energy saving behaviors. Results from both quantitative and qualitative research conducted as part of this project add to existing evidence of a link between engagement in mindfulness practices and pro-environmental engagement, including, but not limited to, household energy use behaviors. Results from a couple of quantitative studies that were a part of this project show that dispositional facets Observe and Non-React were significant predictors of self-reported household energy behaviors, along with frequent engagement with mindfulness practices such as meditation, yoga, and breathing exercises. The results from the qualitative study present mindfulness to be a complex, multidimensional concept that is understood and experienced differently by different people. Unlike usually value-neutral academic and corporate conceptualizations, long-term practitioners who engage with the concept report their practice to have strong ethical dimensions. Engagement with mindfulness as a practice impacts practitioners' perceived connectedness to nature and supports their environmental behaviors. The study provides conceptual models that attempt to explain the relationship between mindfulness practice, connectedness to nature, and pro-environmental behaviors. Results from these studies suggest the possibility that mindfulness-based interventions could provide a novel approach to improving environmental behaviors though further research is needed to determine whether this is indeed the case. Implications and limitations of the study are discussed.

Some human actions are linked to the decline of the environment on a planetary scale. In order to motivate individuals to adopt pro-environmental behaviors (PEBs), it is important to understand how individuals react when exposed to persuasive messages. The goal of this program of research was to examine the influence of images of climate change causes, consequences, and solutions on the relationships between environmental motivation, psychological discomfort, discomfort compensation strategies, as well as changes in pro-environmental attitude and PEBs. In Study 1 (N = 199), I identified visual stimuli (pictures) depicting causes, consequences or solutions to global warming to be used in Study 2. Also, I examined the relationship between environmental motivation and competency on the perception of these pictures. The results indicated that the pictures depicting causes or consequences were perceived more negatively than pictures depicting solutions. In addition, findings showed that regardless of the individual’s perceived level of environmental competence and their type of motivation towards PEBs, individuals had a negative perception of pictures depicting causes and consequences to global warming as well as a positive perception of pictures related to solutions to global warming. In Study 2 (N = 312), I examined the relationships between environmental motivation, psychological discomfort, discomfort compensation strategies, as well as changes in pro-environmental attitude and PEBs following the exposition to images identified in Study 1. Three models based on Self-Determination Theory (SDT), Action-Based Model, and the Hierarchical Action-Based model of Inconsistency Compensation in the Environment (HABICE) domain were examined. The results indicated that exposure to pictures alone is not enough to generate a significant change in pro-environmental attitude or PEBs. The findings showed that the SDT model was best suited to explain the process leading to PEBs changes when exposed to pictures depicting causes of global warming. Finally, the results indicated that the HABICE model was best suited to explain changes in pro-environmental attitude when individuals are exposed to pictures depicting consequences. The HABICE was also a good model to explain the relationships among the different variables when individuals are exposed to pictures depicting solutions to global warming. Overall, this program of research contributed to both SDT and the HABICE models by supporting their conceptual framework.

With a growing interest in sustainability, organizations and researchers have begun to examine pro-environmental behaviors in the workplace (i.e. employee green behaviors). However, general understanding of employee green behaviors is currently limited due to a lack of measurement tools. In this study, a new scale was developed to measure employee green behavior descriptive norms, which are a source of influence on employee green behaviors that develops from observing others’ behaviors. Initial items and expected scale structure for the Employee Green Behavior Descriptive Norms Scale were developed based on the Green Five Taxonomy of employee green behaviors. Items were refined through pilot test data and a retranslation task. Data on the refined scale, the Ethical Leadership Questionnaire, and a Work-Family Culture Scale were used to test scale structure and gather evidence of construct validity. Study results supported the expected scale structure and construct validity of the newly developed scale. A multi-item, validated scale contributes to organizational assessment of employee green behavior descriptive norms and contributes to the scientific literature on employee green behaviors.

The vitality of international transborder natural resources is important for the preservation of wildlife corridors, clean water, clean air, and working lands. In particular, not only does the Texas Rio Grande Valley Region in the United States (U.S.), on the U.S.-Mexico border, offer critical habitat important to North American migratory species, the area also provides substantial agricultural goods (i.e., sugarcane, sorghum, melons, onions, citrus, carrots, cabbage, and cattle). Hence, the dilemma between consumptive and non-consumptive uses of natural resources along a large geographic expanse separated by sociopolitical and sociocultural differences, is further complicated. Latinos of Mexican descent along the southwestern U.S. are one of the fastest growing ethnic groups in the U.S., yet their influence on U.S. natural resource allocation and management has been largely ignored. For this reason, the purpose of my study was threefold: (1) to determine public perceptions toward natural resources, the environment, and conservation; (2) to assess general environmental behaviors; and (3) to determine general recreational behaviors among three student population groups along the U.S.Mexico border region. The student groups were comprised of Texas students (Texas Latino and Texas non-Latino white), and Mexican students from three northern Mexico states, Chihuahua, Coahuila, and Tamaulipas. A survey was derived from three of the most frequently used environmental concern, behavior, and recreation indices used for research in the discipline. Predictors of environmental concern, behavior, and outdoor recreation participation for my sample varied across sociodemographic and sociopolitical variables for each student group. A review of environmental attitudes found Mexican students were more environmentally friendly (~ 2.35 odds; P < 0.05) than their U.S. counterparts. Among the three student groups, basic environmental behaviors (environmental conservation contribution; avoiding environmentally harmful products; changing car oil; and lawn responsibility) were influenced (P &lt; 0.05) by environmental orientation, political candidate's environmental position, father and mother's educational attainment, place of origin, sex, and combined parent income. Outdoor recreation participation and constraints to outdoor recreation participation among the student groups were influenced (P &lt; 0.05) by parent income, age, place of origin, and environmental orientation. Examples of constraints were: not enough money, personal health reasons, inadequate transportation, and personal safety reasons. Findings from my study benefit natural resource and environmental organizations pursuing collaborative program development and implementation along the U.S.-Mexico border and other transborder regions.