Publication Type
Journal Article
Version
publishedVersion
Publication Date
5-2021
Abstract
This between-subjects experiment manipulated the proximity of a waste bin relative to a recycling bin and the presence of information about why and how to rinse recyclables. After completing a yogurt taste test, 272 undergraduate students disposed of their plastic tasting cups in either a waste bin or a recycling bin. Binary logistic regression showed use of the recycling bin roughly tripled when the waste bin was made less convenient by moving it away from the tasting area (p R2 = 0.54). Univariate ANOVA showed the contamination level of recycled items was lower when an informational prompt indicated how clean recyclables need to be (p 2p = 0.08), but not when it indicated why rinsing is important. These findings showcase how manipulating the physical environment can be a powerful tool to steer behavior and how tailored information can complement physical changes to promote proenvironmental actions.
Keywords
Accessibility, Affordances, Procedural information, Prompts, Proximity, Recycling
Discipline
Nature and Society Relations | Place and Environment
Research Areas
Integrative Research Areas
Publication
Resources, Conservation and Recycling
Volume
168
First Page
1
Last Page
10
ISSN
0921-3449
Identifier
10.1016/j.resconrec.2021.105430
Publisher
Elsevier
Citation
ROSENTHAL, Sonny and LINDER, Noah.
Effects of bin proximity and informational prompts on recycling and contamination. (2021). Resources, Conservation and Recycling. 168, 1-10.
Available at: https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/cis_research/170
Copyright Owner and License
Authors-CC-BY
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
Additional URL
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2021.105430