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- Creators: Barrett, The Honors College
Amid the fast-growing market of plant-based alternatives to conventional meat, there still lies uncertainty about consumers’ preferences for these new products. Through an online survey using a Becker-DeGroot-Marschak mechanism, I test the effect that environmental information provision has on consumers’ immediate and long-term willingness- to-pay for the Whopper and Impossible Whopper from Burger King. Respondents were randomly assigned to either a control group or a treatment group, and both received information on taste in an attempt to isolate the effect of environmental information. Results show that certain groups respond to the information differently. Specifically, consumers who care about climate change are affected greatly by environmental in- formation suggesting these “climate advocates” are not fully informed despite the efforts of Impossible Foods. Vegetarians and highly educated individuals have relatively stronger preferences for the plant-based burger, in line with previous studies. Results also show a lasting effect of information on WTP, suggesting little need for repeated interventions.
This project will explore how the American public perceives environmental reporting, constraints on its production, an assessment of the industry’s success and growth, and advice from current journalists. I will conclude with a list of the best practices for captivating and effective storytelling. Finally, I will close with a reflection based upon my creative project, a multimedia piece on how citrus crops in Arizona are affected by honey bees. I aim to provide student journalists with an informal guide to the key skills that will help them excel not only in reporting on a certain sustainability topic, but also on the environment as a whole.