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Running head: EFFECT OF EDUCATION ON RECYCLING

Recycling Behaviour of Grade Three Students: The Effect of Education on Sustainability

Abstract
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The study was conducted to determine the relationship between education and

recycling behaviour of students. Seventy-two third grade students were divided into four

groups – a control group and three treatment conditions. The three treatment conditions –

the “art project,” the “video presentation” and the “interactive discussion” - elicited a

significant effect on recycling behaviour of students, which was measured in kilograms

of recycled paper. A difference was also found among the various teaching methods

utilized. The interactive discussion was the most effective means to encourage recycling

behaviour, while the video presentation produced the weakest effect. For future research,

reinforcement could be studied in conjunction with education.

Recycling Behaviour of Grade Three Students: The Effect of Education on Sustainability

The state of the environment has a taken a turn for the worst in the past several

decades. The human population has sky-rocketed since the end of the 20th century,

leading to increased pollution, over harvesting of limited resources, and significant

climate change. Humans have behaved in their own best interests without thinking about

the consequences suffered by our environment. There is an increasing need for people to

begin to alter their usual beliefs and habits in order to protect what is left of our delicate

ecosystem.

Recycling is one of the simplest ways people can help save the environment.

Many people believe throwing away just one aluminium can will not do harm, but if a

million people have this mindset, there will be a million aluminium cans taking up space

in a landfill. If children can be educated about recycling – as well as other -sustainable

practices – at a young age, perhaps it will be easier to change their beliefs about the
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environment; when these beliefs are changed, it may become easier to change their

habits. Many previous studies have examined attitudes towards the environment and

recycling; however, few studies have been done to see how education influences these

attitudes.

Knowledge of actions is a large factor in changing attitudes and behaviour, so it is

expected that the more an individual knows about sustainability, the more they will

engage in sustainable behaviours (Gifford, 2007). The current study will examine how

education influences sustainable actions. Education can modify behaviour, however is the

teaching method utilized equally as important? The participants were exposed to one of

four teaching conditions and the amount of paper recycled by each student was used to

measure recycling behaviour.

Hamad, C.D., Cooper, D., and Semb, G. (1977) examined the recycling behaviour

of grade school students as a function of rewards. Students were not educated about the

environmental benefits of recycling or other sustainable activities beforehand. The

amount of paper, measured in lbs (kgs), was recorded biweekly for 9½ weeks. The

students were only told that the contest would last for 3½ weeks, so researchers were able

to assess the efficacy of the reward system. The rewards method proved to be extremely

effective; however, it is not particularly representative of real life. Once the rewards were

taken away the amount of recycled paper decreased significantly, although the amount

was still higher than before the study took place. In this case, reinforcement, although

very effective, was costly. If education were used along with less costly means of

reinforcement, would similar results arise? The purpose of the current study is to discover
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whether making individuals knowledgeable of their actions will be effective in promoting

recycling behaviour.

Educating individuals about recycling has repeatedly shown to increase recycling

behaviour. Nyamwange (1996) conducted a survey study in New Jersey asking

individuals about their participation in the city’s recycling program. Questions on the

survey concerned “frequency of recycling, items recycled, reason for not recycling,

means of making the community aware of recycling programs, potential sites for

recycling containers, and changes that would induce full participation of residents in city

recycling programs” (Nyamwange, 1996). The number one reason individuals did not

participate was they did not know where to bring their recycling or what items they were

able to recycle. Respondents suggested increasing awareness about recycling programs

via the media and public campaigns.This includes information about the benefits of

recycling, what products are accepted, and how individuals can participate. Since it is

evident that knowledge of actions does improve sustainable behaviour, we can apply this

to various settings, such as an elementary school. It was also suggested that non-recyclers

should be fined. This is considered a form of reinforcment – if action is taken, then one

will not have to pay a fine. Fining individuals for failing to recycle follows the principles

of Behaviourist theories of rewards and punishment and accords with the study by

Hamad, et al. (1977). But can the same degree of action occur without the presence of

compensation?

The current study attempted to educate grade three students about recycling in

order to modify their behaviour. Various teaching methods were applied in order to

determine if any one method was more effective than another. All grade three students
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from a chosen school were randomly assigned to one of four groups. The first group was

the control and the rest of the students were assigned to an “art project” condition, a

“video presentation” condition, or an “interactive” condition. For about half an hour

during one afternoon, each group took part in their assigned condition. The control group

spent time playing games; the second group did an art project relating to recycling; the

third group watched a short video about recycling; and the fourth group participated in an

interactive discussion. Following exposure to these conditions, the amount of recycled

paper was measured in kilograms for each student over several weeks.

There is concern that without reinforcement, education will not be as effective.

However, reward systems may not always be practical, as seen in the study by Hamad, et

al. (1977). My study purposely excludes compensation largely because I felt it would not

be possible to tell only one group of students they would be receiving rewards for

recycling without the others finding out. The study was designed to examine whether or

not education using various teaching methods, will have an effect on recycling behaviour.

In keeping with previous research, it is expected that treatment conditions will have an

effect on the amount of paper recycled.

Method

Participants

The participants for the current study were 72 third grade students from an

elementary school in Victoria, B.C. These 72 students were derived from three

classrooms. There were 36 boys with a mean age of 100.64 months (SD = 3.93); and 36

girls with a mean age of 101.72 (SD = 3.73). Overall, the students ranged from 96 to 108
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months of age (8 to 9 years), with an average age of 101.18 months (SD = 3.843). The

participants were divided into four conditions with 18 students in each group.

Materials

Each condition required different materials. The control group spent the allotted

time playing games provided by the elementary school. The “art project” group made a

piece of artwork with art materials provided by the teachers and myself – blank paper,

coloured construction paper, felt pens, glue sticks, scissors, and magazines. The “video

presentation” condition watched a short video supplied by myself, which was made for

children by sustainability advocates. Finally, for the “interaction discussion” group, I led

a seminar on recycling and sustainability using posters, props, and prizes to engage the

children. Props included recyclable materials such as paper, plastic and glass bottles, and

aluminium cans. Prizes – small chocolates – were given away to students for answering

questions.

After being exposed to the conditions, each child was assigned their own

recycling bin, which was kept by the teacher. I provided these bins.

Procedure

Seventy-two third grade students of an elementary school in Victoria, B.C. were

randomly assigned to one of four groups with consent from parents and the school. On a

specific day chosen by teachers, the groups were directed to separate classrooms where

they would take part in their assigned condition for approximately half an hour. The

control group was told they would be able to play indoor games for the time given. The

students in the “art project” condition were instructed to create a piece of artwork with

the materials made available, which reflected the world if everyone took part in
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sustainable actions, such as recycling, water and energy conservation, and throwing trash

in trash bins. Students in the “video presentation” condition watched a 25-minute video

on recycling which covered the reasons for recycling, the process, and the long- and

short-term impacts for the planet. The teachers of the three third grade classes supervised

these three conditions. I led the “interactive discussion” condition. For this condition, I

gave a short presentation about recycling and other sustainable behaviours.The students

were encouraged to get involved and ask questionslittle prizes were given away to

students who participated.

The next day, the children were instructed by their teachers to hang on to all their

recyclable paper until the end of the day, when they would come by to collect it. The

teachers then disposed of the paper into assigned recycling bins. This was a simple way

to keep track of how much paper each participant recycled. At the end of a month, the

recycled paper from each participant was weighed.

Design

The current study was a 1-way between-groups design where the amount of paper

recycled varied as a function of education, more specifically the teaching method used,

for each group of participants. The independent variable was the teaching method used

with the four groups of participants. The four levels of the factor were defined as the

control group, the “art project” condition, the “video presentation” condition, and the

“interactive discussion” condition. The variable measured as a function of the teaching

methods was the amount of paper collected for recycling. The amount of paper was

measured in kilograms.
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Results

This study attempted to determine whether education had an influence on

recycling behaviour. Participants were divided into a control group and three teaching

conditions – an “art project” condition, a “video presentation” condition, and an

“interactive discussion” condition. Behaviour was measured by the amount of paper

recycled by each participant in kgs. Descriptive statistics were calculated, and both an

analysis of variances and a Levene’s test of homogeneity of variances were performed

using SPSS. Finally, post-hoc multiple comparisons were carried out using Dunnent’s,

since homogeneity was not violated.

A one-way ANOVA was implemented on the 1-way between-groups design to

assess the relationship between teaching method and kgs of paper being recycled. Means

and standard deviation of each factor are presented in Table 1. The results of the ANOVA

revealed that the mean kgs of paper recycled varied as a function of teaching method

used, MSe = 0.77, F(3,68) = 35.38, p < 0.01, η2 = 0.61. Levene’s test showed that the

assumptions of homogeneity of variances was not violated, F < 1, p > 0.5.

The analysis of variances revealed a significant difference between the groups,

but to determine the differences between the control group and the three teaching

conditions, a post-hoc probe was used. Dunnett’s test was carried out since homogeneity

of variances was not violated and there was a control group. The post-hoc analysis

revealed that there was a statistical difference in recycling behaviour when comparing the

control group to the “art project” condition, “video presentation” condition, and the

“interactive discussion” condition, td = 0.88, p < 0.01. Although all three conditions were

significantly different from the control group, they varied in strength. The “video
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Table 1

Means and Standard Deviations for the Amount of Paper Recycled, Represented as

Kilograms, as a Function of Teaching Method Conditions, (N = 18) in each group.

Descriptive Measures

Teaching Conditions Mean Standard Deviation

Control 2.32 0.81

Art Project 4.51 0.83

Video Presentation 3.57 0.82

Interactive Discussion 5.16 1.02

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presentation” condition had the weakest effect on recycling behaviour, while the

“interactive discussion” had the largest effect. This provides further evidence that not

only does education influence recycling behaviour, but the method of teaching is

important as well.

An insignificant difference was also found between males (M = 3.92, SD = 1.50)

and females (M = 3.86, SD = 1.24).

Discussion

The collected data reveals a statistically significant difference in recycling

behaviour, measured in kgs of paper, as a function of education. Each of the three

treatment conditions had a significant effect on behaviour compared to the control group.

A difference was also found in behaviour depending on the type of teaching method used.

This evidence implies that in order to encourage sustainable behaviour, individuals

should be informed about ways to get involved, and the benefits of these actions. In

addition, we must be aware of the methods used to apply this information.

Teaching methods need to be kept in mind when educating students and adults

about sustainability. The current study shows that an interactive discussion is most

effective in modifying behaviour of grade three students because it allows them to get

involved in an open dialogue and ask questions. This way they are able to attain the most

information, as opposed to sitting through a short film. Interactive discussions are

probably most practical in school settings. However, it may not be as realistic to sit a

group of adults down to discuss sustainability. The most common suggestion from

individuals in Nyamwange’s (1996) study was to educate the public about the advantages

of recycling and details of the provided program. The suggested methods were public
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campaigns, media advertisements and simply having recycling containers in more

“accessible locations” (Nyamwange, 1996). We need to make the general public aware of

sustainable actions they can get involved in through the media because – unless

individuals are actively seeking ways to take action – they have no other sources of

information.

Reinforcement is also a large part of behaviour modification. Hamad’s, et al.

(1977) data revealed that rewards yield a significant change in behaviour as opposed to

education alone. However, depending on the type of reinforcement offered, it may be

quite costly. Hamad, et al. (1977) used coupons redeemable for hamburgers to encourage

the students to recycle. Combining reinforcement with education could produce positive

and less costly results. If I were to replicate the current study, I would attempt to integrate

reinforcement with teaching methods. In accordance with previous research, I would

expect to obtain a significant change in behaviour. I was hesitant to use rewards for the

current study because grade three students may think it unfair if only one group was

being given prizes for recycling and they may not realize the importance of keeping it a

secret from the other groups.

Although offering rewards to students may be reasonable, providing rewards to

the general public for recycling may be difficult. Several individuals from Nyamwange’s

(1996) study suggest fining non-recyclers. This method has become more common in the

past several years. Many cities have begun to fine households for not using their

recycling bins, as well as for the amount of trash being collected (“Fines Threat,” 2004).

Unfortunately there has been a lot of controversy concerning these fines. In some cities,

individuals can be charged because they forgot about a change in the schedule, and they
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are being charged excessive amounts (Saccoccio, 2007). How can we appropriately

influence the public to recycle? For the current study, I aimed to make recycling a habit

at a young age since – as the saying goes – it is hard to teach old dogs new tricks. If we

aim to teach youth about sustainable behaviours and why they are important, they will

hopefully maintain these habits throughout their lifetime.

I found several weaknesses in my study. Although the participants were randomly

assigned to groups within the class, the class itself may not have been representative of

all grade three students. The socioeconomic status of the school community had not been

taken into account. Individual differences in attitudes can greatly influence participants’

behaviour. Some of the children may already be living in a household where recycling is

encouraged, while others may have little to no interest in the subject. If this study was

replicated, a within-groups design could be used to try to control the internal validity. I

would also consider using different age groups or schools. Older students may be better

able to understand the implications of the study.

Reinforcement is another aspect that can be integrated in future studies, but

finding an appropriate reinforcement may be difficult. If desirable rewards are presented,

the study may become a competition between students or classes; however if the

reinforcement is weak then it may not elicit a significant change in behaviour. Further

research is needed to provide support that recycling behaviour varies as a function of

reinforcement and teaching methods.

The purpose of the current study was to determine whether there is a relationship

between education and knowledge of actions and sustainable behaviour. A significant

difference was found to occur between the control group and the treatment groups, as
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well as between the various teaching methods utilized. Different approaches should be

taken when replicating the study, including application of reinforcement, using a within-

subject design and using different participants and locations to be more representative of

the population.
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References

Fines threat to boost recycling. (2004, March 26). BBC News Online. Retrived on March
21, 2009, from http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/london/3571227.stm

Gifford, R. (2007). Environmental psychology: Principles and practice (4th ed.). Colville,
WA: Optimal Books.

Hamad, C.D., Cooper, D., and Semb, G. (1977). Resource recovery: Use of a
contingency to increase paper recycling in an elementary school. Journal of
Applied Psychology, 62(6), 768-772. Retrieved from psycINFO database.

Nyamwange, M. (1996). Public perception of strategies for increasing participation in

recycling programs. Journal of Environmental Education, 27(4), 19-22. Retrieved
from psycINFO database.

Saccoccio, S. (2007, April 6). How different cities take out their trash. CBC News.
Retrieved March 21, 2009, from http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/garbage/
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Appendix

Computations