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Attitudes and Behaviors Regarding Environmental Protection in the Financial Decisions of Individual Consumers

Author

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  • Damian Walczak

    (Department of Financial Management, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun, Gagarina 13A, 87-100 Toruń, Poland)

  • Leszek Dziawgo

    (Department of Financial Management, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun, Gagarina 13A, 87-100 Toruń, Poland)

  • Danuta Dziawgo

    (Department of Financial Accounting, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun, Gagarina 13A, 87-100 Toruń, Poland)

  • Michał Buszko

    (Department of Financial Management, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun, Gagarina 13A, 87-100 Toruń, Poland)

  • Jarosław Pawłowski

    (Department of Financial Management, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun, Gagarina 13A, 87-100 Toruń, Poland)

  • Agnieszka Żołądkiewicz-Kuzioła

    (Department of Financial Management, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun, Gagarina 13A, 87-100 Toruń, Poland)

  • Dorota Krupa

    (Department of Financial Management, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun, Gagarina 13A, 87-100 Toruń, Poland)

Abstract

Insufficient environment protection may have serious ecological consequences, resulting in a number of problems in the modern world, many of which are a direct result of human behavior. Therefore, one needs to limit negative ecological effects by consciously shaping environment-related behaviors. The present paper analyzes the declared attitudes of individuals when it comes to taking into consideration pro-environmental factors, including energy, consumption, and waste. We have also studied the social awareness of the socially responsible investment idea, as well as pro-ecological individual behaviors related to private finance. Our survey study, conducted on a representative sample of 1030 Polish respondents, shows that participants’ individual features have little impact on pro-ecological decisions, and that declared pro-ecological attitudes are not reflected in actual behaviors. Polish consumers are still not active enough in making decisions concerning pro-ecological actions, first of all, in terms of energy and waste. As a result of the conducted research, we suggest increasing all activities in the field of environmental policy that could increase the participation of society in facilitating sustainable development.

Suggested Citation

  • Damian Walczak & Leszek Dziawgo & Danuta Dziawgo & Michał Buszko & Jarosław Pawłowski & Agnieszka Żołądkiewicz-Kuzioła & Dorota Krupa, 2021. "Attitudes and Behaviors Regarding Environmental Protection in the Financial Decisions of Individual Consumers," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(7), pages 1-13, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:14:y:2021:i:7:p:1934-:d:527649
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Damian Mazurek & Konrad Czapiewski, 2021. "What Solutions for Waste Management? Issues of Flows and Governance Exemplified by the Łódź Agglomeration (Poland)," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(12), pages 1-22, June.
    2. repec:ers:journl:v:xxiv:y:2021:i:2b:p:938-955 is not listed on IDEAS
    3. Leszek Dziawgo, 2024. "Support for the European Green Deal by Individual Investors:Research Results," European Research Studies Journal, European Research Studies Journal, vol. 0(4), pages 486-496.
    4. Shanshan Li & Gaoweijia Wang & Li Yang & Jichao Geng & Junqi Zhu, 2022. "Analysis and Prediction of the Coupling and Coordinated Development of Green Finance–Environmental Protection in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(15), pages 1-20, August.
    5. repec:ers:journl:v:xxiv:y:2021:i:3:p:335-348 is not listed on IDEAS
    6. Ruslan Kostyrko & Tetiana Kosova & Lidiia Kostyrko & Liudmyla Zaitseva & Oleksandr Melnychenko, 2021. "Ukrainian Market of Electrical Energy: Reforming, Financing, Innovative Investment, Efficiency Analysis, and Audit," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(16), pages 1-17, August.
    7. Aneta Mikuła & Małgorzata Raczkowska & Monika Utzig, 2021. "Pro-Environmental Behaviour in the European Union Countries," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(18), pages 1-19, September.
    8. Alicja Małgorzata Graczyk, 2021. "Households Behaviour towards Sustainable Energy Management in Poland—The Homo Energeticus Concept as a New Behaviour Pattern in Sustainable Economics," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(11), pages 1-30, May.
    9. Leszek Dziawgo, 2021. "Energy Sectors on Capital Market – Financing the Process “Towards Sustainability”," European Research Studies Journal, European Research Studies Journal, vol. 0(2 - Part ), pages 938-955.
    10. Zhang, Dongyang, 2024. "From ban to balance: How agricultural climate policies reshape rural asset allocation?," Journal of International Money and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 149(C).
    11. Robert Sidełko, 2021. "Application of Technological Processes to Create a Unitary Model for Energy Recovery from Municipal Waste," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(11), pages 1-15, May.

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