The expanded Theory of Planned Behavior (ETPB) was applied to examine undergraduates’ environmental protection behaviors. Moral norms were applied into the model as the predictor of attitude, social norms and perceived behavioral control. The effects of different class standings were also examined. A questionnaire survey was conducted and 380 responses underwent data analysis using structural equation modelling. According to Model ETPB, perceived behavioral control and subjective norms were strongly affected by moral norms, while attitude was moderately affected by moral norms. Environmental protection behaviors was moderately affected by environmental protection intention, while environmental protection intention was moderately affected by perceived behavioral control which was the strongest predictor, followed by attitude and subjective norms. Invoking moral emotions through posters or peers leading by examples, which over time might internalize into moral norms, played an important role in positively affecting perceived behavioral control and subjective norms. This could be followed by simple and convenient programs creating a positive self-perception of the abilities to carry out environmental protection behaviors. When separated by class standings, perceived behavioral control was the strongest predictor for the freshmen class, while subjective norms were non-significant. For the class standing of sophomores and above, attitude was the strongest predictor.

Most research focused on understanding the general environmental awareness or attitudes around the world, targeting residents, students, or undergraduates. There were limited attempts to understand the environmental protection behaviors in Taiwan healthcare sector. A questionnaire survey was designed with current healthcare personnel in Taiwan as target population. From the theory of planned behavior and ethical leadership, structural equation modelling allowed a better explanation of the social-psychological indicators affecting environmental protection behaviors in the healthcare sector. Attitude, subjective norms and perceived behavioral control are positively impacted by ethical leadership. Environmental protection behavior is significantly influenced by environmental protection intention, while environmental protection intention is strongly affected by perceived behavioral control which is the strongest predictor, followed by attitude. However, there is insignificant correlation of subjective norms to environmental protection intention, due to the weaken social connection among healthcare personals, especially with the heavily burdened workload and restrictive measure during the COVID-19 crisis in a hospital environment.

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The Tzu Chi University Environmental Education Program, based on a theory of change, consisted of four weeks of lessons involving environmental and sustainability topics, followed by hands-on sorting of recyclables and four weeks of weekly documenting of environmentally friendly behavior. The Program was analyzed using written thoughts from the Experimental Group, as well as 78 and 116 valid survey responses of the Control and Experimental Groups, respectively. The survey consisted of questions regarding demographics and five constructs: environmental awareness, attitudes, norms, efficacy and behavior. No significant average differences were found between the pre-tests of the Control and Experimental Groups, or between the pre- and post-test of the Control Group. The post-test of the Experimental Group displayed a significantly higher average value when compared to both the pre-test of the Experimental Group and the post-test of the Control Group, as the means of the self-reported environmental awareness, attitudes, norms, efficacy and behavior significantly improved statistically after participating in the Program. Analysis revealed that lessons from the Program increased undergraduates’ environmental awareness and attitudes; “hands-on recyclables sorting” and “weekly documentation of environmentally friendly behavior” strengthened undergraduates’ environmental norms and efficacy, while their combination resulted in a significant improvement toward environmentally friendly behavior.