An Exploratory Investigation of Green Behaviors and Attitudes towards Green Marketing Initiatives

A sample of 205 university students provided input regarding an array of 32 issues germane to both green marketing and green consumption. A diverse array of behaviors and opinions were articulated. Respondents reported a high propensity to engage in recycling, donating used goods, and purchasing products with a longer life expectancy. They favored environmentally-friendly actions such as focusing on cleaner and more efficient energy alternatives. There was a strong belief that individuals can make a difference. A comparison of business and nonbusiness students documented significant differences on two of the 32 issues under investigation with nonbusiness students expressing greater concern for the purchase of used items as well as the belief that the misbehavior of corporations renders individual behavior ineffective. Gender produced dramatically different results with statistically significant differences between men and women documented for 17 of the 32 issues. Women were far more concerned and more likely to engage in environmentally-friendly behavior. An investigation focusing on the three age groups documented only four issues where there was a significant difference with the oldest segment the most concerned in each case. A proposed typology allowed respondents to place themselves in the category that they deemed to best fit themselves. Fully 66.2 percent of the respondents placed themselves in the middle category – eco-aware. Only 1.5 percent felt they were eco-destroyers, and a modest 3.4 percent declared themselves to be eco-warriors. Differences across the five segments were documented