Reflection of Environmental Citizenship Behaviour through Domestic Waste Disposal Practices: Examination on Youth in Sri Lanka

Abstract

The comparison of Environmental Citizen Behaviour (ECB) and waste disposal mechanism is relatively unknown among youth. The study explores how ECB reflects through domestic waste disposal practices by analyzing extend of ECB and waste disposal practices among Sri Lankan youth descriptively. A quantitative cross-sectional online survey was adopted to collect data from students in Sri Lankan universities. ECB was measured with a modified version of the eleven-item scale developed. Measurement properties were assessed using confirmatory factor analysis. Descriptive statistics, crosstabulation analysis and mean comparison analysis were utilized as data analysis techniques. The study operationalized ECB as eco-initiatives, eco-helping and eco-civic engagement. Relative to eco initiative and eco helping, low practice was reported to eco-civic engagement. Presence of low and moderate ECB, the probability of using waste collection arrangement was high. Respondents with higher level of ECB, applicability of composting the waste is relatively high. However, dumping waste outside premises was also high among highest ECB. Compared to individuals with high and low ECB, burning waste was higher for moderate ECB. The findings suggest that there is a certain level of ECB that is necessary for waste disposal method selection, however when the ECB level optimized, it may affect waste disposal negatively. The joint inspiration of ECB and waste disposal is relatively unknown. In Sri Lanka, which is a developing context, there is a lack of studies about the connection between ECB and waste disposal.

The Effect of Environment Knowledge and Pro-Environment Psychological Climate on Environmental Citizenship Behaviour: The Mediating Role of Environmental Commitment

“…For example, Weerarathna, Jayarathna, and Pintoe (2017) conducted a study of factors affecting employee green behaviour in organizations in the manufacturing and service sector in Sri Lanka by taking environmental citizenship behaviour into consideration. Another study was conducted by Sachitra (2022) in Sri Lankan context regarding environmental citizenship behaviour and waste disposal practices among Sri Lankan youth. Thus, in the Sri Lankan banking context, this study aims to fill the empirical knowledge gap regarding environmental knowledge, pro-environmental psychological climate, environmental commitment and environmental citizenship behaviour.…”