Studies Reveal What Motivates Consumers to Use Recycling Bins

Have you ever contemplated what goes on in people’s mind when they decide whether or not to use recycling bins? We have and apparently we are not alone. Two studies were recently completed on the subject. Here’s a quick look at what those studies revealed:

Case Study 1

The first study of note was conducted by representatives from two educational institutions, the University of Alberta and Boston University. The study, which is scheduled to appear in an upcoming issue of the Journal of Consumer Research, focused on the impact of visual stimuli on recycling bin usage.

Based on the snippets of information already released, it appears that the condition of the recyclable item is definitely one factor that consumers consider before heading over to an area’s recycling bins. For example, researchers found that whole sheets of paper are more likely to be recycled than partial sheets. Of course as long-time manufacturers of recycling bins and eco-friendly products, we find those results fascinating.

Case Study 2

The second study that focused on which factors influence people’s recycling bin use was published in the August 2013 issue of the same journal. It was conducted by representatives from two other educational institutions, the University of Kentucky and Ohio State University. However, unlike the first researchers, they were specifically seeking to determine whether or not people’s political ideology plays a role in recycling efforts as well. Apparently, it does for some people.

Resources

• University of Alberta and Boston University; Journal of Consumer Research – http://www.jcr-admin.org/files/pressreleases/082013082022_TrudelRelease.pdf
• University of Kentucky and Ohio State University; Journal of Consumer Research – http://www.jstor.org/stable/10.1086/670610