Convenience orientation, environmental concerns and resource conservation behaviours

Abstract

There is a concern that convenience orientation, especially lifestyles that prefer convenience to sustainability, could lead to increased resource consumption, posing a challenge to sustainable consumption. This study aims to provide empirical evidence showing that convenience orientation may not necessarily harm the environment but helps conserve resources. We designed our survey to collect data on convenience orientation and environmental concerns from 361 households living in the capital city of Pakistan. Using the structural equation modelling approach, we examine how convenience orientation, environmental concerns and socioeconomic importance affect food, water, and energy conservation behaviours. Our results reveal a positive association between convenience orientation, environmental concerns and conservation behaviours while socioeconomic importance negatively associated with the food, water and energy conservation behaviours. This finding is contradictory to concerns that convenience orientation might undermine sustainability efforts.