The Role of Eco-Apps in Encouraging Pro-Environmental Behavior of Young People Studying in Poland

Abstract

Nowadays, protection of the natural environment is the fundamental duty and challenge of humanity. Adverse environmental changes make it necessary to encourage behaviors that will reduce our negative impact. Due to the development of media, information reaches consumers through various channels. New media, including mobile applications, are becoming increasingly popular. Their potential impact on young consumers cannot be overestimated as young people are able to modify their attitudes, behaviors and habits more easily than older ones. The main aim of this study was to recognize the use of eco-applications as a new source of information in the field of pro-environmental behavior of young people studying in Poland. The research objectives included the identification of pro-environmental behaviors most often declared by students, verifying their recognition and use of eco-applications, and determining the features of eco-app design expected by young users. The study involved the methods of desk research, in-depth interview and computer-assisted web interviewing (CAWI). The empirical material obtained from 772 students representing Generation Z underwent quantitative and qualitative analysis, which allowed for the verification the proposed hypotheses. The respondents most often declared pro-environmental behavior in the household context. As regards eco-apps, the respondents were most likely to recognize applications promoted via traditional media. The main feature expected of eco-app design was ease of use, which does not mean that users expected the app to be in Polish, as this criterion was relatively low rated. The Mann-Whitney test and the Kruskal-Wallis test revealed relationships between such variables as gender, place of residence or income and pro-environmental behavior, the use of selected eco-apps and the expected features of eco-app design.

Pro-Ecological Behavior: Empirical Analysis on the Example of Polish Consumers

“…The following research questions were asked: In this study, the hypothesis was adopted that the statistical Polish consumer undertakes pro-environmental behavior because of its positive impact on the natural environment. The hypothesis was formulated on the basis of literature analysis, which shows that the statistical Polish consumer is a very conscious citizen and is aware of the importance of cleanliness of the environment and its impact on the global ecosystem of the planet [4,5].…”

“…At this point, it is worth referring to Prospect Theory, which is considered a better model for understanding decision making than traditional expected utility theory in many fields [67]. Viewed in this light, environmentally friendly behaviors [4,5,68,69], in the long run, can bring various value-added benefits (e.g., health, clean air, etc.) to the decision-making process.…”

“…It is difficult to identify a clear definition of environmentally sustainable consumer behavior. Studies conducted so far [4] have mostly analyzed the inclinations and reasons that determine people's involvement in environmental activities. Among other things, the combination of economic and social factors in relation to environmental concern was examined [5].…”

External Environmental Analysis for Sustainable Bike-Sharing System Development

“…Therefore, BSSs can be used as a health promotion and prevention tool. Some research works emphasize that BSSs provide a healthy lifestyle and a sustainable environment to the world as well as encourage pro-environmental behavior of people [34]. Sometimes city residents use BSSs and e-bikes as a means of transport for trips outside the urban area [35][36][37].…”

Analysis of Undergraduates’ Environmentally Friendly Behavior: Case Study of Tzu Chi University Environmental Education Program

“…Results from an online survey showed that gender, age and class standings had a positive correlation with environmentally friendly behavior. Balinska et al [17] tried to understand the role of eco-friendly mobile applications on the environmentally friendly behavior of undergraduates in Poland. The results showed that applications widely promoted in traditional media gained stronger recognition, while statistically, females understood the usefulness of these applications better then males.…”