A Multilevel Analysis of the Determinants of Recycling Behavior in the European Countries (original) (raw)

The main objective of this study is to permit a better understanding of recycling as a function of both individual and contextual variables. Our cross-national study aims at examining how differences in national settings and in social and institutional factors as well interact with a series of individual characteristics to influence engagement in recycling behavior in the 15 countries of the European Union. One of our most important conclusions is that conservation behavior is greatly influenced by the ecological mobilization in which it occurs. Indeed, the most activists participate nationally in environmental organizations, the more the population is likely to participate in programs such as the separation of domestic waste. Alone, this variable explains about 45% of the variance observed between the European Union countries on public participation in separation and recycling activities. The present contribution is the first to do so through a multilevel modeling approach that can integrate both individual and contextual variables at the heart of conservation behavior.