Ojala, Maria. 2008. “Recycling and Ambivalence: Quantitative and Qualitative Analyses of Household Recycling Among Young Adults.” Environment and Behavior 40 (6) (November 1): 777 -797. doi:10.1177/0013916507308787.
This Swedish study is different. It is one of only a few that focuses on the recycling habits of young adults. The age range is 20 to 29 with a mean of 25.2 years. This study is also different in that it doesn’t measure either positive nor negative aspects and their affect on recycling rates, but rather how ambivalence plays a role in the process. They actually asked if the respondent thought that recycling made a difference from both appositive and a negative aspect.
Ambivalent reluctant recyclers agreed that recycling was good for the environment and is a civic responsibility, but saw recycling as an inconvenience. They also felt that it was complicated, even though they were not well informed about what they needed to do. There was also a feeling of powerlessness meaning that that their contribution would not ultimately change things. All of this boiled down to an admission that they were too lazy to do it.
Those who were hopeful had more trust in people in the community working together to solve the problem. Contributing to this was the feeling that they were doing something meaningful. Recycling was an act of conscience. Those who were hopeful were also joyful over doing something meaningful and having the chance to contribute to the environmental cause.
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