Work

Exploring the influence of religion and regional culture on waste separation intention: An empirical study in Tibet

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Tibet's exceptional geographical and climate features have fostered a distinct regional culture and a specific religious belief of Tibetan Buddhism. These attributes have a close association with environmental conservation and sustainable lifestyles. Hence, this study based on the Value-Belief-Norm (VBN) theory, investigated the mechanisms through which Tibetan Buddhism and Tibetan regional culture influence the intention of household waste separation. Subsequently, Tibetan Buddhism and Tibetan regional culture were incorporated into the Theory of Planned Behavior, an extended model was developed to explore the association between waste separation intentions and cultural factors, including religion. This study collected a total of 557 survey responses and 12 semi-structured interviews. Alongside qualitative analysis, the extended model was rigorously tested using structural equation modeling. The findings suggest that Tibetan Buddhism has a positive impact on residents' attitudes, subjective norms, and intentions for waste sorting. Furthermore, Tibetan cultural values also have a positive influence on waste separation intentions. This study contributes to our understanding of the role of Tibetan Buddhism and culture in promoting sustainable environmental behavior and provides useful insights for the development of waste separation policies in the Tibetan region.

Source: Cleaner and Responsible Consumption

DOI: 10.1016/j.clrc.2025.100352

Authors: Ling Miao, Jiarong Hu, Shujie Sun, Xuepeng Qian, Liang Dong

Institution: Sophia University

Language: English

Topic: Environmental Education and Sustainability

Subfield: Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law

Field: Environmental Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDG: Responsible consumption and production

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $1,630