Kao Saechao Recycling determinants May 7 2007 p. 1 Determinants of Recycling Behavior: A UC Berkeley Case Study Kao Saechao Abstract Recycling lessens the need to extract the planet’s limited raw material resources. Understanding the factors that influence or promote recycling behavior can lead to more efficient recycling programs. Housing types are one examples of the many factors that can affect recycling. Residences halls (Res Halls), fraternities, and sororities are separate housing options on the University of California, Berkeley (UCB) campus. Each housing type presents a different environment and has a separate management for its recycling programs. Four categories of explanatory variables related to recycling behavior (internal motivators, external motivators, internal facilitators, and external facilitators) are examined to determine their influential value on student recycling for aluminum, plastic, and glass beverage containers. Self-reported recycling rates and assessment of each explanatory variable were attained through questionnaires given to student participants. Students living in Residential Halls were found to have higher recycling rates for all the different material types. However, the study did not reveal any consistent findings the relationship between housing type and student recycling rates.
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Kao Saechao Recycling determinants May 7 2007
p. 1
Determinants of Recycling Behavior: A UC Berkeley Case Study
Kao Saechao
Abstract Recycling lessens the need to extract the planet’s limited raw material resources. Understanding the factors that influence or promote recycling behavior can lead to more efficient recycling programs. Housing types are one examples of the many factors that can affect recycling. Residences halls (Res Halls), fraternities, and sororities are separate housing options on the University of California, Berkeley (UCB) campus. Each housing type presents a different environment and has a separate management for its recycling programs. Four categories of explanatory variables related to recycling behavior (internal motivators, external motivators, internal facilitators, and external facilitators) are examined to determine their influential value on student recycling for aluminum, plastic, and glass beverage containers. Self-reported recycling rates and assessment of each explanatory variable were attained through questionnaires given to student participants. Students living in Residential Halls were found to have higher recycling rates for all the different material types. However, the study did not reveal any consistent findings the relationship between housing type and student recycling rates.
Kao Saechao Recycling determinants May 7 2007
p. 2
Introduction
Understanding what affects our recycling behaviors can lead to better and more effective
recycling programs in our communities. There are many factors that influence human recycling
behavior and previous research on this topic has led to the discovery of many different
explanatory variables. Hornik et al (1995) reviewed approximately 70 of these studies and found
four recurring classes or categories of variables that were best used to determine recycling
The data did support the first hypothesis that students living in the Res Halls, Units 1 and 2,
did have higher recycling rates. However, hypothesis 2 was not fully supported by the results.
Although students living in fraternity houses did have lowest recycling rates for aluminum and
paper, it was found that they had higher recycling rates for plastic and glass. The results from the
modeling analysis do not strongly support the idea that housing types do have any effect on
recycling behavior. Therefore, my extension of Hornik et al’s (1995) framework failed.
Some factors that could have affect the study are that maybe I had bad data or not enough
data. Some possible flaws with the survey design were that I did not leave the response variables
open to participants to fill in. I opted to have them select from a few ranges of answer in order to
reduce the time participants spent on the questionnaire. This was a tactic I used so participants
would not feel burdened to think critically about the questions. Also, maybe I could have
selected different representative variables for the study. Some students may have over estimated
while some may have underestimated their usage and or recycling rates. However, the lack of
any good support for my models does not mean that housing types do not affect recycling
behavior at all. Future studies can look into measuring actual recycling rates and maybe assess
how well developed of a recycling program exists within the different house types. Examples of
this can include recording bin sizes, bin quantity, or funding.
Acknowledgements
Thank you to Lisa Bauer for helping me get started on this project with ideas. Thank you to
the ES 196 instructors for all their hard work and assistance.
Kao Saechao Recycling determinants May 7 2007
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References
Bratt, C. 1999. The impact of norms and assumed consequences on recycling behavior. Environment and Behavior 31:630-656.
Cheung, S.F., D.K.S. Chan, and Z.S.Y. Wong. 1999. Reexamining the theory of planned
behavior in understanding wastepaper recycling. Environment and Behavior 31:587-612. Corraliza, J.A. and J. Berenguer. 2000. Environmental values, beliefs, and actions: a situational
approach. Environment and Behavior 32:832-848. Do Valle P.O., E. Reis, J. Menezes, and E. Rebelo. 2004. Behavioral determinants of household
recycling participation: the Portuguese case. Environment and Behavior 36:505-540. Do Valle P.O., E. Rebelo, E. Reis, and J. Menezes. 2005. Combining behavioral theories to
predict recycling involvement. Environment and Behavior 37:364-396. Hornik J., J. Cherian, M. Madansky, and C. Narayana. 1995. Determinants of recycling behavior:
a synthesis of research results. The Journal of Socioeconomics 24:105-127. Meneses, G.D. and A.B. Palacio. 2005. Recycling behavior: a multidimensional approach.
Environment and Behavior 37:837-860. Werner, C.M. and E. Makela. 1998. Motivations and behaviors that support recycling. Journal of
Environmental Psychology 18:373-386.
Kao Saechao Recycling determinants May 7 2007
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Appendix 1 Greek & Res Hall Recycling Survey
Please circle your place of residence: [Fraternity] [Sorority] [Unit 1] [Unit 2]
If Unit 1 or Unit 2, please circle your sex: [Female] [Male]
How many aluminum cans do you use per week? __________
What percent do you recycle? (Please circle one) [0%] [1-20%] [21-40%] [41-60% ] [61-80%] [81-100%]
How many plastic bottles do you use per week? __________
What percent do you recycle? (Please circle one) [0%] [1-20%] [21-40%] [41-60% ] [61-80%] [81-100%]
How many glass bottles do you use per week? __________
What percent do you recycle? (Please circle one) [0%] [1-20%] [21-40%] [41-60% ] [61-80%] [81-100%]
What percentage of your paper (e.g. white/office paper, class notes, newspapers, junk mail, etc.) do you recycle? (Please circle one)
[0%] [1-20%] [21-40%] [41-60% ] [61-80%] [81-100%] Please rate how much you agree with the following statements.
Strongly Agree Agree
Neither Agree Nor Disagree Disagree
Strongly Disagree
· I feel guilty when I do not recycle. 5 4 3 2 1 · My recycling habits do not make a significant difference
for the environment. 5 4 3 2 1
· Each one of us has a moral obligation to protect the environment. 5 4 3 2 1
· I don’t know how the environment is affected by the garbage we throw away everyday. 5 4 3 2 1
· All plastics can be placed in the recycling bins. 5 4 3 2 1 · Because there is plenty of raw material resource,
recycling is not that important. 5 4 3 2 1
· Having to sort recyclable materials (i.e. paper from bottles and cans) prevents me from recycling. 5 4 3 2 1
· Having recycling bins that were easier to find or get to would affect my recycling behavior. 5 4 3 2 1
· I would recycle something if there were a recycling bin placed next to the trash bin. 5 4 3 2 1
· Having policies/rules within my residence would increase recycling. 5 4 3 2 1
· I feel pressure from my peers and friends to recycle. 5 4 3 2 1