<p><strong>Abstract</strong></p><p>The aim of this Master thesis is to explore why some Swedes want to consume”eco-friendly” and whether this fact gives rise to articulated information needs. Two possible explanations for this ”eco conscious” consumption are being tested, either if it is based on a normative belief that it is the right thing to do if you, as a consumer, want to do something about the environmental degradation, or that it is a reaction to a perceived risk, due to the environmental degradation. The method chosen by the author in this thesis is a qualitative text analysis of five Swedish journals. The author also tries to find articulated expressions for information needs based on the will to consume ”eco friendly” that could either be a result of a perceived risk or a feeling of normative rightness. The findings of this thesis are the following: the opinion among Swedish consumers that it is normatively right to select products perceived to be good for the environment, is the most commonly expressed in the  material examined followed by the view that they (the consumers) need more information as to what products to chose if the they are to satisfy their “environmental ambitions”.</p><p> </p>

Abstract The aim of this Master thesis is to explore why some Swedes want to consume”eco-friendly” and whether this fact gives rise to articulated information needs. Two possible explanations for this ”eco conscious” consumption are being tested, either if it is based on a normative belief that it is the right thing to do if you, as a consumer, want to do something about the environmental degradation, or that it is a reaction to a perceived risk, due to the environmental degradation. The method chosen by the author in this thesis is a qualitative text analysis of five Swedish journals. The author also tries to find articulated expressions for information needs based on the will to consume ”eco friendly” that could either be a result of a perceived risk or a feeling of normative rightness. The findings of this thesis are the following: the opinion among Swedish consumers that it is normatively right to select products perceived to be good for the environment, is the most commonly expressed in the  material examined followed by the view that they (the consumers) need more information as to what products to chose if the they are to satisfy their “environmental ambitions”.

This thesis focuses on pro-environmental attitudes and behaviors and the interactions between recycling behavior, food buying attitudes, food buying behaviors, and ecological beliefs. Following an introductory chapter, I present an article-length paper on recycling behavior to be submitted to Environment and Behavior. Data for this study came from a telephone survey of Tennessee residents (N=270). Using OLS regression analysis, I find that recycling behavior is significantly related to access to recycling facilities. I do not find a significant interaction effect between access to recycling facilities and willingness to recycle. I conclude by suggesting that pro-environmental policies need to make structural resources more available to all in order to promote recycling (and protect the environment in general). Positive attitudes alone do not get us very far. My additional thesis research goal of developing an accurate measure of ecological food buying attitudes and behaviors needs further work.

Background: Ordering online food delivery has become an urban lifestyle for many people around the world, especially in China. The booming of this online-to-offline market has brought lucrative profits to online food delivery industry players, while consumers are enjoying the diversity of food available through this convenient delivery way. However, the environmental issues are also alarming with huge impact on every aspect of human development. This paper is interested in whether the Chinese Generation Z is thinking green when ordering food online. Purpose: The study aims to examine the effect of different influencing factors on Generation Z’s green consumer behaviour in three stages: purchasing, using and disposing for a holistic view. This also serves the purpose of an adaptation of relevant theories in green consumer behaviour studies such as theory of planned behaviour and ecological conscious consumer behaviour framework into the Chinese online food delivery industry. Method: A quantitative research was conducted based on a hypothesised model aiming to analyse the causal relationships between 5 factors (perceived consumer behaviour, environmental control, altruism, narcissism and subjective norm) and ECCB, together with the purchasing, using and disposing stages. 326 valid responses were collected from an online survey for the data analysis procedures in SPSS and SPSS Amos. Confirmatory factor analysis and multiple regression were among the analysis methods conducted. Conclusion: Subjective norm, narcissism, and perceived consumer effectiveness were found to have significant positive effects on green consumer behaviour among the five proposed predictors for Chinese Generation Z. The most impactful determinant is narcissism, followed by subjective norm and lastly, perceived consumer effectiveness.