Environmental Effects of the Livestock Industry: The Relationship between Knowledge, Attitudes, and Behavior among Students in Israel

Keren Dopelt, Pnina Radon and Nadav Davidovitch
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Keren Dopelt: Department of Public Health, School of Health Sciences, Ashkelon Academic College, Ashkelon 78211, Israel
Pnina Radon: Department of Public Health, School of Health Sciences, Ashkelon Academic College, Ashkelon 78211, Israel
Nadav Davidovitch: School of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beersheba 8410501, Israel

IJERPH, 2019, vol. 16, issue 8, 1-16

Abstract: The livestock industry has numerous and diverse impacts on the environment. In a cross-sectional study using an online questionnaire, 361 students were asked about their knowledge, attitudes, and behavior related to the environmental impact caused by livestock industry. The data were analyzed using correlations, t -tests for independent samples, and linear regression models. We found that students have almost no knowledge about the environmental impact of the food they consume, their attitudes are moderately pro-environmental, yet they are not strict about pro-environmental behavior. Students with higher levels of environmental knowledge demonstrated more pro-environmental attitudes and behavior; attitudes mediate the relationship between level of knowledge and behavior with respect to environmental pollution caused by the livestock industry. In addition, participants that rear/reared animals demonstrated more knowledge and pro-environmental attitudes and behavior, and women demonstrated more pro-environmental attitudes and behavior than men. There is a need to raise awareness of the environmental and health impacts caused by livestock industry. An introductory course on environmental science should be integrated into different academic study programs. Further research should be conducted among additional population sectors.

Keywords: environmental pollution; sustainability; livestock industry; pro-environmental behavior; knowledge and attitudes (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (6)

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