Essay Sample on Recycling: An Essential Aspect of Our Daily Lives

Introduction

The environmental-related behavior of interest to me is recycling. Before having an in-depth examination of a way in which this behavior can be promoted, there is a need to understand the operational definition of the concept and its importance in our daily lives. Recycling refers to the re-use of products rather than discarding them (McKinney, Schoch, Mckinney, & Yonavjak, 2017). There are several reasons why recycling is an essential aspect of our daily living and why behavior should be taught in every person. First, recycling is crucial in reducing energy waste because the use of recycled materials in manufacturing processes leads to a considerable reduction of energy than the use of raw materials (Green Journal, 2016).

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Recycling is also crucial in reducing the generation of waste and in decreasing release of hazardous waste to the environment (UNEP, 2020). It is also essential in the protection of ecosystems and wildlife because it lessens the need for harvesting and extraction of new raw materials from the earth. Consequently, there is decreased injurious disturbance and damage to the natural world (Friends of the Earth, 2018). An intervention that could be used to promote recycling is educating the public or creating public awareness on the importance of the behavior (De Leeuw, Valois, Ajzen, & Schmidt, 2015; Passafaro & Livi, 2017).

Educational interventions are vital because it equips people with the knowledge and skills needed for the implementation of the behavior (Emiroglu & Kurt, 2017). For example, people learn different types and ways of recycling. Additionally, educational interventions are crucial in persuading the public on the need to adopt the behavior (Morgan & Grant-Smith, 2015). Persuasion can be achieved through modelling- where a public health worker demonstrates how recycling is carried out and its health and environmental benefits. Through such an approach, there is an increased likelihood that the public will be convinced to engage in the behavior in their daily lives.

The Application of Social Cognitive Theory (SCT) to Recycling

The application of SCT can be best understood by examining constructs relevant to recycling behavior. One of the constructs of the theory is observational learning- which posits that a person is highly likely to reproduce a particular behavior or action if he or she witnesses or observes such activity being carried out by another person (LaMorte, 2019). In SCT, this is known as "modelling" of a response (Colledge, 2017).

Observational learning can be implemented in school to encourage children to embrace recycling (Morse, 2017). In this case, teachers can act as recycling role models by being at the forefront in the recycling of waste and in showing learners proper ways of recycling different types of garbage. When teachers do this, there is an increased likelihood that the students will adopt the behavior because they see them as role models. Similarly, at the community level, public health and environmental experts can lead recycling efforts. Because they are also respectable members of the community, they are influential in influencing the public to adopt the behavior.

Reinforcement is another construct of the SCT that could be used to enhance recycling behavior. It can be defined as anything that strengthens or improves the tendency of performing a specific act or response (Zhu & Owen, 2017). Reinforcement can also be used to discontinue unwanted behaviors. An example of a positive reinforcement that can be used to encourage recycling behavior is the health benefits associated with recycling. If individuals understand the benefits of recycling, such as decreased pollution and conservation of natural resources, they are more likely to embrace the behavior to avoid the detrimental health and environmental impact of failure to recycle.

Another positive reinforcement that can be used to encourage behavior is monetary rewards to individuals who show consistency in the act. Negative reinforcement is also crucial in the adoption of the intervention. Tax on trash and laws prohibiting the dumping of recyclable can be used as a form of negative reinforcement. In such cases, people who fail to recycle are penalized. Outcome expectations can also make a person to engage in the desired behavior. In the SCT, outcome expectations are anticipated consequences of a particular action or behavior (Llewellyn et al., 2019). Positive expectations are crucial in making people adopt a practice. For example, if individuals are aware of the beneficial impact of recycling, there is a high likelihood that they will approve the behavior.

Intended Outcomes of the Intervention

One of the intended outcomes of the intervention is improved recycling knowledge and skills. Through educational intervention, it is expected that people will have a better understanding of various methods of recycling and the benefits that can be accrued from adopting the behavior. Secondly, the intervention is anticipated to lead to improved recycling. That is, people who have undergone the intervention are expected to show the action in their daily lives. Additionally, it is highly likely that the performance of the practice will make other people also to do so because those who recycle will act as role models.

References

Colledge, R. (2017). Mastering counselling theory. New York, NY: Macmillan International Higher Education.

De Leeuw, A., Valois, P., Ajzen, I., & Schmidt, P. (2015). Using the theory of planned behavior to identify key beliefs underlying pro-environmental behavior in high-school students: Implications for educational interventions. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 42, 128-138. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2015.03.005

Emiroglu, B. G., & Kurt, A. A. (2017). Use of augmented reality in mobile devices for educational purposes. Mobile Technologies and Augmented Reality in Open Education, 95-117. https://doi.org/10.4018/978-1-5225-2110-5.ch005

Friends of the Earth. (2018). 9 benefits of recycling. https://friendsoftheearth.uk/natural-resources/9-benefits-recycling

Green Journal. (2016). The importance of recycling at home. Retrieved from https://www.greenjournal.co.uk/2016/02/the-importance-of-recycling-at-home/

LaMorte, W. W. (2019). The social cognitive theory. Retrieved from http://sphweb.bumc.bu.edu/otlt/MPH-Modules/SB/BehavioralChangeTheories/BehavioralChangeTheories5.html

Llewellyn, C., Ayers, S., McManus, C., Newman, S., Petrie, K. J., Revenson, T. A., & Weinman, J. (2019). Cambridge handbook of psychology, health and medicine. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.

McKinney, M. L., Schoch, R. M., Mckinney, & Yonavjak, L. (2017). Environmental science. Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning.

Morgan, E. A., & Grant-Smith, D. C. C. (2015). Tales of science and defiance: The case for co-learning and collaboration in bridging the science/emotion divide in water recycling debates. Journal of Environmental Planning and Management, 58(10), 1770-1788. https://doi.org/10.1080/09640568.2014.954691

Morse, B. (2017). The role of observational learning in developing ecotourists' environmentally responsible behavioral intentions. https://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/handle/2027.42/136232

Passafaro, P., & Livi, S. (2017). Comparing determinants of perceived and actual recycling skills: The role of motivational, behavioral and dispositional factors. The Journal of Environmental Education, 48(5), 347-356. https://doi.org/10.1080/00958964.2017.1320961

UNEP. (2020). Waste | un environment assembly. https://web.unep.org/environmentassembly/waste

Zhu, W., & Owen, N. (2017). Sedentary behavior and health: Concepts, assessments, and interventions. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.