Work

Communicating About Single-Use Bottled Water to Mitigate Ecosystem Pollution

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: The use of plastics is ingrained in modern lifestyles, yet plastic waste contaminates ecosystems and harms human health. Single-use bottled water is a substantial contributor to global plastic use despite many sustainable alternatives. The purpose of this study was to examine if knowledge, cognitive beliefs, affective beliefs, attitudes, and perceived access to clean water affected consumers’ intention to purchase single-use bottled water. Data were collected from Florida, Georgia, and Alabama residents using non-probability opt-in sampling. A hypothesized model was analyzed using confirmatory factor analysis and structural modeling in MPlus. Knowledge, cognitive beliefs, and affective beliefs accounted for 34.5% of the variance in attitudes. Additionally, these three constructs, along with the perceived access to clean water and attitudes, accounted for 31.9% of the variance in the intention to purchase single-use bottled water. All direct and indirect paths in the model were significant, indicating that communication targeting knowledge, cognitive beliefs, affective beliefs, attitudes, and the perceived access to clean water may shift the public sentiment. Key findings revealed that increasing consumers’ knowledge and decreasing beliefs about single-use bottled water decreased purchase intentions. The study results highlight the need for communication strategies that challenge emotional attachments and the perceived knowledge of single-use bottled water while emphasizing credible knowledge about the associated environmental and health impacts. Environmental communicators should explore generational differences related to affective beliefs regarding single-use bottled water to target messaging based on aesthetics.

Source: Water

DOI: 10.3390/w17091298

Authors: Kristin E. Gibson, Alexa J. Lamm, Kevan W. Lamm, Jessica Holt, Kyle Maurice Woosnam

Institutions: University of Missouri, University of Georgia

Language: English

Topic: Environmental Education and Sustainability

Subfield: Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law

Field: Environmental Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDGs: Clean water and sanitation, Responsible consumption and production

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $3,137