Do students and canteen vendors think differently about food segregation?

Abstract

In university “X” (UX), littering is no longer a problem, but segregating waste is still not evident. Logically, students and canteen vendors are the ones who produce most of the waste. In this study, the authors want to explore whether students would think differently about handling waste compared to canteen vendors. Using the theory of planned behavior as the theoretical framework, the authors indeed found that students compared with canteen vendors had significantly different attitudes, norms, and perceived behavior control. Students have a more positive attitude towards waste segregation, but they do not perceive it as an essential norm that the canteen vendors perceive. Interestingly, canteen vendors segregate food waste, but students do not segregate. After checking it qualitatively, canteen vendors segregate their waste because they are obliged to the faculty management rules. And the reason for students’ lower performance in segregating waste is that they do not know the campus’ program of waste management. It is concluded that the lack of socialization hinders student’s pro-environmental behavior, and the waste segregating behavior from canteen vendors is affected by the existing norms and rules.