Environmental attitudes and behaviors in sustainability about water use in homes

Introduction: The use of water is a global environmental concern. Understanding factors affecting peoples' behavior is necessary to devise effective water management policies. Water reuse is positively influenced by environmental values, convenience, adequate storage space, simplicity of reuse, feelings of satisfaction when reusing materials, and involvement in society. Purpose: This paper proposed and tested a conceptual framework to identify the environmental (e.g., attitude toward the environment), situational (e.g., individual knowledge and experience), and psychological (e.g., personality characteristics, perceptions) factors that affect peoples' water management intentions and behaviors in homes. Problem: Global environmental problems (e.g., water concern) can be effectively addressed by individual lifestyle changes. Unlike reduction and reuse, recycling is not influenced by environmental values; instead, it is viewed as an accepted norm. However, access to recycling facilities or curbside recycling improves participation. Finding: A strong relationship between intention and behavior was found for all the three water management practices (i.e., reduction, reuse, and recycling). Water reduction was positively influenced by environmental values, increased knowledge of environmental policies, the belief that water is a threat to personal well-being, and feelings of personal responsibility. Older age groups were more likely to reduce water than younger age groups, possibly because they maintained lifestyles developed during their experiences and culture. Ease of recycling (e.g., presence of curbside recycling) was associated with diminished intentions to employ water use reduction and reuse strategies, possibly because individuals who recycled felt they had fulfilled their water management responsibilities. Designers should:– enact curbside recycling methods and techniques in homes to decrease water use;– recognize how factors beyond awareness and knowledge (e.g., water values) affect water management practices;– understand that different household water management practices (i.e., reduction, reuse, and recycling) are influenced by different factors (e.g., environmental attitudes).