University of Santiago Compostela, Spain (firstname.lastname@example.org)
The attempt to study if scuba produces positive pro-environmental behaviour, used the theory of planned behaviour to build a new model to observe variables capable to explain possible reduction of plastic and food waste in the household. Previous studies have recognised subjective norms as giving little contribution to recycling process and waste prevention control; as a consequence the proposed model excludes such variable, but introduces scuba diving, awareness and demographic variables to register different behaviours adopted by divers and non-divers. A questionnaire was developed to assess 181 US divers regarding their household practices for plastic and food waste production, and two-step cluster analysis was used to observe how variables can relate to each other. Although clusters containing values for environmental awareness, attitude toward the behaviour and perceived behaviour control can be used as important combination to predict for pro-environmental behaviour, the fact of being a certified scuba diver is not significant for environmental behavioural. However, it definitely plays an important role in raising awareness of and observing the impacts on the reef. Thus, scuba diving is only characterized as a good vehicle for promoting good environmental practices, motivating people to rethink their attitudes toward their behaviour in the household.
Keywords: sustainability; food discard; municipal waste; pro-environment; scuba diving