Matching Items (5)
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- All Subjects: Sustainable development
- All Subjects: Plastic
- Genre: Academic theses
- Creators: Dooley, Kevin
- Member of: ASU Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Description
This study investigates how well prominent behavioral theories from social psychology explain green purchasing behavior (GPB). I assess three prominent theories in terms of their suitability for GPB research, their attractiveness to GPB empiricists, and the strength of their empirical evidence when applied to GPB. First, a qualitative assessment of the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), Norm Activation Theory (NAT), and Value-Belief-Norm Theory (VBN) is conducted to evaluate a) how well the phenomenon and concepts in each theory match the characteristics of pro-environmental behavior and b) how well the assumptions made in each theory match common assumptions made in purchasing theory. Second, a quantitative assessment of these three theories is conducted in which r2 values and methodological parameters (e.g., sample size) are collected from a sample of 21 empirical studies on GPB to evaluate the accuracy and generalize-ability of empirical evidence. In the qualitative assessment, the results show each theory has its advantages and disadvantages. The results also provide a theoretically-grounded roadmap for modifying each theory to be more suitable for GPB research. In the quantitative assessment, the TPB outperforms the other two theories in every aspect taken into consideration. It proves to 1) create the most accurate models 2) be supported by the most generalize-able empirical evidence and 3) be the most attractive theory to empiricists. Although the TPB establishes itself as the best foundational theory for an empiricist to start from, it's clear that a more comprehensive model is needed to achieve consistent results and improve our understanding of GPB. NAT and the Theory of Interpersonal Behavior (TIB) offer pathways to extend the TPB. The TIB seems particularly apt for this endeavor, while VBN does not appear to have much to offer. Overall, the TPB has already proven to hold a relatively high predictive value. But with the state of ecosystem services continuing to decline on a global scale, it's important for models of GPB to become more accurate and reliable. Better models have the capacity to help marketing professionals, product developers, and policy makers develop strategies for encouraging consumers to buy green products.
ContributorsRedd, Thomas Christopher (Author) / Dooley, Kevin (Thesis advisor) / Basile, George (Committee member) / Darnall, Nicole (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2012
Description
Industrial activities have damaged the natural environment at an unprecedented scale. A number of approaches to environmentally responsible design and sustainability have been developed that are aimed at minimizing negative impacts derived from products on the environment. Environmental assessment methods exist as well to measure these impacts. Major environmentally responsible approaches to design and sustainability were analyzed using content analysis techniques. The results show several recommendations to minimize product impacts through design, and dimensions to which they belong. Two products made by a manufacturing firm with exceptional commitment to environmental responsibility were studied to understand how design approaches and assessment methods were used in their development. The results showed that the company used several strategies for environmentally responsible design as well as assessment methods in product and process machine design, both of which resulted in reduced environmental impacts of their products. Factors that contributed positively to reduce impacts are the use of measurement systems alongside environmentally responsible design, as well as inspiring innovations by observing how natural systems work. From a managerial perspective, positive influencing factors included a commitment to environmental responsibility from the executive level of the company and a clear vision about sustainability that has been instilled from the top through every level of employees. Additionally, a high degree of collaboration between the company and its suppliers and customers was instrumental in making the success possible.
ContributorsHuerta Gajardo, Oscar André (Author) / Giard, Jacques (Thesis advisor) / White, Philip (Committee member) / Dooley, Kevin (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2014
Description
Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is used in the chemical process sector to compare the environmental merits of different product or process alternatives. One of the tasks that involves much time and cost in LCA studies is the specification of the exact materials and processes modeled which has limited its widespread application. To overcome this, researchers have recently created probabilistic underspecification as an LCA streamlining method, which uses a structured data classification system to enable an LCA modeler to specify materials and processes in a less precise manner. This study presents a statistical procedure to understand when streamlined LCA methods can be used, and what their impact on overall model uncertainty is. Petrochemicals and polymer product systems were chosen to examine the impacts of underspecification and mis-specification applied to LCA modeling. Ecoinvent database, extracted using GaBi software, was used for data pertaining to generic crude oil refining and polymer manufacturing modules. By assessing the variation in LCA results arising out of streamlined materials classification, the developed statistics estimate the amount of overall error incurred by underspecifying and mis-specifying material impact data in streamlined LCA. To test the impact of underspecification and mis-specification at the level of a product footprint, case studies of HDPE containers and aerosol air fresheners were conducted. Results indicate that the variation in LCA results decreases as the specificity of materials increases. For the product systems examined, results show that most of the variability in impact assessment is due to the differences in the regions from which the environmental impact datasets were collected; the lower levels of categorization of materials have relatively smaller influence on the variance. Analyses further signify that only certain environmental impact categories viz. global warming potential, freshwater eutrophication, freshwater ecotoxicity, human toxicity and terrestrial ecotoxicity are affected by geographic variations. Outcomes for the case studies point out that the error in the estimation of global warming potential increases as the specificity of a component of the product decreases. Fossil depletion impact estimates remain relatively robust to underspecification. Further, the results of LCA are much more sensitive to underspecification of materials and processes than mis-specification.
ContributorsMurali, Ashwin Krishna (Author) / Dooley, Kevin (Thesis advisor) / Dai, Lenore (Thesis advisor) / Nielsen, David (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2014
Description
Marine plastic pollution (MPP) has emerged as one of the most pressing global environmental challenges of the anthropocene. There has been an upsurge in investment to mitigate MPP; however, interventions can be costly, inequitable, and ineffective in achieving their objectives. In my dissertation, I aim to research key considerations for creating cost-effective, equitable mitigation strategies for MPP and its impacts to marine biodiversity and coastal communities. In chapter one, I introduce the challenges plastic pollution poses. In chapter two, I use seascape ecology theory to present the concept of the plastic-scape and describe how seascape ecology principles, methods, and approaches to transdisciplinary science can inform research to mitigate MPP. In chapter three, I present a framework to help decision makers estimate the total cost of MPP interventions and partial costs accrued by stakeholder groups. I then apply this framework to two quantitative case studies and four comparative case studies to exemplify its use and highlight the ways spatial scale, temporal scale, and socio-economic conditions influence the intervention cost and cost distribution. In chapter four, I employ a trait-based approach to produce a framework for developing indices of species vulnerability to macroplastic pollution. Finally, in chapter five, I implement the framework developed in the previous chapter and present a multi-taxonomic, macroplastic vulnerability index for three marine taxa—mammals, birds, and turtles—to identify the marine species most vulnerable to macroplastic pollution in Hawai‘i. Overall, my dissertation shows how policy-driven, systemic research of MPP and its interventions can improve efforts to address MPP and its socio-economic and ecological consequences.
ContributorsMurphy, Erin (Author) / Gerber, Leah R (Thesis advisor) / Polidoro, Beth (Thesis advisor) / Rochman, Chelsea (Committee member) / Dooley, Kevin (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2023
Description
The proliferation of plastic has created a wicked global sustainability challenge. From the extraction of fossil fuels to end-of-life management and pollution, plastic imposes significant negative impacts to human health, economic well-being, and the environment. One proposed solution is to replace conventional plastic with biomass-based plastics and plastic alternatives (BBPAs), such as paper or bio-based plastics. While these products may have advantageous properties, they require biomass as a feedstock. Given the scale of the plastics problem, this biomass demand may be significant. In my dissertation, I evaluate the magnitude of biomass required, and assess the potential impact of this biomass demand on global land use. After examining the scope and the scale of the problem in chapter one, I evaluate the assumptions that have been made regarding the land-use impacts of BBPAs in chapter two. In chapter three, I use a global land-system model (CLUMondo) to evaluate the potential land-use change of large-scale production of BBPAs. In chapter four, I evaluate how certification schemes could be used as a policy tool to mitigate the land-use impacts of bio-based alternatives. I find that the current studies evaluating the land-use impacts of these products make optimistic and unrealistic assumptions regarding land-use. Using a global model, I show how high production scenarios of BBPAs could induce significant land-use change at the global level. Finally, I demonstrate that reliance on certification schemes would likely be insufficient to prevent negative impacts from this scale of land change. Overall, this dissertation suggests that large-scale replacement of plastic with BBPAs could incur significant land-use impacts. Policies designed to mitigate the impacts of plastic need to account for this impact to land-use, lest they risk substituting one global problem for another.
ContributorsHelm, Levi (Author) / Kinzig, Ann (Thesis advisor) / Dooley, Kevin (Committee member) / Turner II, Billie (Committee member) / Verburg, Peter (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2023