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Purpose of the research

This research was conducted in order to identify whether people who hold certain attitudes towards life, and sustainability in general, are more likely to display pro-environmental behaviours.  The findings will assist in developing ways to influence attitudes and behaviour towards the environment.

What we measured

We wanted to know the effect of
  • sense of responsibility towards the community, and sustainability in general
  • perceived control over environmentally-related actions
  • knowledge about sustainability
  • the importance placed on sustainability
  • level of awareness of one's values and beliefs
  • the degree to which one perceives one's community supports sustainability
        onWhat we found

Overall, people who display a high level of pro-environmental behaviours are likely to
  • have a strong sense of responsibility towards the community
  • feel that they have a lot of control over their sustainability
  • feel that they are well informed in sustainability issues
  • feel that they are well supported by the community and people around them to adopt sustainable behaviours
  • regularly their examine own beliefs and values
In comparison to men, women are more likely to
  • feel a strong sense of responsibility
  • have a strong awareness of their beliefs and values
  • perceive that they have a lot of control over their sustainable actions
  • undertake pro-environmental behaviours
  • actively avoid using plastic bags to carry shopping
In comparison to women, men are more likely to
  • feel they are well-informed about sustainability
  • feel they have a good level of self-discipline for making sustainable decisions
  • over-rate their overall self-rating of sustainability in comparison to their actual reported behaviour
  • find it difficult to make sustainability a priority in their actions
  • believe that acting sustainably comes at an unacceptable cost to them
  • believe that the government has a greater responsibility in dealing with sustainability issues than individuals
Next Steps

By understanding the attitudes and psychological factors which contribute to sustainable behaviours, we are better able to identify which "buttons to push  in order to encourage those behaviours.  The findings from this research will assist in the development of efforts to educate and inspire people to live more sustainably.

A full report of the survey findings can be downloaded here
(52kb pdf)
Download the full report here (52kb pdf)
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