Attitudes towards environmentally conscious lifestyle among university students in Budapest - in light of their purchasing decisions and waste management

Environmental awareness is playing an increasingly important role in our purchasing decisions, and a growing number of consumers strive to reduce their environmental footprint – but do they have the necessary information? Our research analysed how much importance students at the Budapest Metropolitan University attach to environmental awareness in their purchasing decisions – for example, do they buy second-hand products, do they bring their own bags when shopping and are they aware of different packaging materials and where to dispose of them? The survey found that, in addition to saving money, environmental awareness also played a role in the respondents’ purchases of used electronic devices (such as mobile phones, tablets, laptops, desktop computers or game consoles). By their own admission, a significant part of the students, nearly 88%, usually take their plastic, paper or textile bags with them when shopping so that they can use them to take the purchased items home. The correct disposal of the various types of waste presents a mixed picture: while most respondents would place frequently used packaging materials in the appropriate waste containers, there were also several cases when this provided a challenge for them, which could be caused by a lack of information or by a variety of contradictory information. The research found that students prefer environmental actions requiring less commitment and sacrifice. They are not willing to make significant efforts or sacrifices to achieve environmental goals, even though they have already recognised the importance of environmental protection and are aware of their responsibilities as the future generation