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The Role of Curtailment Versus Efficiency on Spillovers Among Pro-Environmental Behaviors: Evidence from Two Towns in Granada, Spain

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  • Marta Suárez-Varela

    (Department of Economic Structure and Development Economics, Autonomous University of Madrid, 28049 Madrid, Spain)

  • Ariel Dinar

    (School of Public Policy, University of California, Riverside, California, CA 92597, USA)

Abstract

In this paper we explore the existence of behavioral consistency between individuals’ pro-environmental attitudes and behaviors in related domains (cross-domain), distinguishing between the following two types of behaviors that the literature has identified as entailing different levels of sacrifice on the part of the individual: curtailment, i.e., implying the adoption of daily habits, and efficiency behaviors, i.e., installation of efficient devices. Using a dataset on bottled water demand from two cities in southern Spain, we find evidence of behavioral consistency between the undertaking of certain pro-environmental habits related to household water consumption and the decision to consume (or not) bottled water. These effects are found only when curtailment behaviors are considered, but not in relation to efficiency behaviors. Moreover, our results suggest that policies fostering pro-environmental habits could prove more successful than the ones promoting pro-environmental attitudes or awareness. These results have important implications for the design of environmental campaigns and rebate programs.

Suggested Citation

  • Marta Suárez-Varela & Ariel Dinar, 2020. "The Role of Curtailment Versus Efficiency on Spillovers Among Pro-Environmental Behaviors: Evidence from Two Towns in Granada, Spain," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(3), pages 1-24, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2020:i:3:p:769-:d:311327
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    2. Gimenez-Nadal, José Ignacio & Molina, José Alberto & Velilla, Jorge, 2023. "Pro-environment Attitudes and Worker Commuting Behavior," IZA Discussion Papers 16279, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    3. Geir Wæhler Gustavsen & Atle Wehn Hegnes, 2020. "Turning the Tap or Buying the Bottle? Consumers’ Personality, Understanding of Risk, Trust and Conspicuous Consumption of Drinking Water in Norway," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(18), pages 1-15, September.
    4. Jianfang Liang & Ruiwen Wang & Jingjun Li, 2022. "Exploring the Relationship between Chinese Urban Residents’ Perceptions of Sustainable Consumption and Their Efficiency Behavior: A Mediation and Moderation Analysis Based on the Social Practice Appro," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(18), pages 1-25, September.
    5. Inam, Munib & Nemati, Mehdi & Buck, Steven C., 2023. "Heterogeneous effects of housing lot size composition on water consumption: Evidence from water agencies in California," 2023 Annual Meeting, July 23-25, Washington D.C. 335571, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.

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