Recycling on vacation: Does pro-environmental behavior change when consumers travel?

The existing literature on recycling behavior suggests social and convenience factors are positively associated with recycling behavior. Less is known about how environmental values, environmental self-efficacy, attitudes toward recycling, and attitudes toward recycling effort affect recycling frequency and behavior. Further, recycling behavior is often studied when consumers are at home; behavior may change when consumers are on vacation. Therefore, this article examines understudied attitudinal variables that may be related to recycling behavior using self-report data about recycling from both residents and people on vacation. The study suggests attitudinal variables affect recycling behaviors, and replicates previous findings that people are less likely to recycle when they are on vacation. People who recycle at home may abandon recycling practices on vacation, even if they believe they can make a difference and have strong environment attitudes. The article concludes with suggestions to improve recycling behaviors for consumers when they are at home and when they are tourists.