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Exploring the Differential Effect of Life Satisfaction on Low and High-Cost Pro-Environmental Behaviors

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  • Salvador del Saz Salazar

    (Department of Applied Economics II, Universitat de València, Avda. dels Tarongers s/n, 46023 Valencia, Spain)

  • Luis Pérez y Pérez

    (Agrifood Research and Technology Centre of Aragon (CITA), Montañana Avenue, 930, 50059 Zaragoza, Spain
    Agrifood Institute of Aragon (CITA-University of Zaragoza), Montañana Avenue, 930, 50059 Zaragoza, Spain)

Abstract

The role of life satisfaction as a determinant of pro-environmental behavior remains largely unexplored in the extant literature. Using a sample of undergraduate students, we explore the effect of life satisfaction on low- and high-cost pro-environmental behaviors. While low-cost pro-environmental behavior has been defined as recycling activities, high-cost pro-environmental behavior is defined in a contingent valuation framework in which respondents are asked about their willingness to pay extra for offsetting CO 2 emissions, thus avoiding treating the proposed payment as symbolic. Controlling for demographic characteristics and environmental concern, results suggest that life satisfaction has a slightly stronger, and more significant, effect on high-cost pro-environmental behavior than in low-cost pro-environmental behavior. This study also finds that environmental concern and having siblings with a university degree increases the probability of engaging in both behaviors. However, family income is a better predictor of high-cost pro-environmental behavior than of low-cost pro-environmental behavior.

Suggested Citation

  • Salvador del Saz Salazar & Luis Pérez y Pérez, 2021. "Exploring the Differential Effect of Life Satisfaction on Low and High-Cost Pro-Environmental Behaviors," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(1), pages 1-17, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2021:i:1:p:277-:d:712269
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