Obstacles to Lower Environmental Impact in Low-Cost Behaviors

AbstractThis chapter focuses on the question of why environmentally conscious individuals find it difficult to behave in a correspondingly eco-friendly way. This phenomenon is referred to in the literature as the “value-action gap.” In this study, the definition of this gap is further expanded by considering individual intention. The discrepancies between environmental values, intention, and behavior are explored in the context of two environmentally relevant behaviors—mobility and consumption—using qualitative interviews. Firstly, key structural and intrapersonal obstacles to pro-environmental behavior are identified. Secondly, individual needs and requirements for facilitating eco-friendly behavior are addressed. Finally, strategies and potentials for pro-environmental change in society are discussed.