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Das Umweltbewusstsein ist grundsätzlich von Schwankungen betroffen, welche vor allem dann auftreten, wenn andere gesellschaftliche Ereignisse in den Vordergrund treten. Diese Arbeit untersucht, inwiefern sich das Umweltbewusstsein von in Österreich lebenden Personen im Alter zwischen 20 und 30 Jahren im Vergleich zum Zeitraum direkt vor der Covid-19-Krise verändert hat. Die Beantwortung dieser Fragestellung stützt sich, neben einer Literaturrecherche, auf eine quantitative Befragung (n = 210) bezüglich der affektiven und kognitiven Komponente des Umweltbewusstseins. Die Ergebnisse zeigen eine geringe Zunahme der affektiven/kognitiven Komponente. Diese korreliert mit einigen soziodemografischen Merkmalen, nicht aber mit der Betroffenheit durch die Covid-19-Krise. Die langfristige Entwicklung des Umweltbewusstseins kann aufgrund der Dynamik und dem Andauern der Covid-19-Krise noch nicht abschließend beurteilt werden. Dies bedingt zukünftiges Forschungspotenzial.

E-waste has one of the greatest impacts on the environment and is the fastest-growing waste stream globally. The ever-ongoing growth in our economy and unsustainable consumption patterns ask for a change. Use-oriented product-service systems (u-PSS) are a promising business model to address this change by acting toward a circular economy. However, the implementation of u-PSS can face various challenges because it requires a fundamental shift in how companies interact with consumers as well as consumers' preferences. Therefore, this study aims to identify factors of acceptance for adopting u-PSS for electronic devices in Austria. To gather specific data, an online survey was conducted with 287 participants. The hypotheses were tested using multiple regression analysis. The results reveal that out of the tested factors, environmental awareness and information are the most important factors of acceptance. For a successful implementation, key determinants include service provision, device durability, and comprehensive information about u-PSS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The consumption of meat substitutes has significantly grown over the last decade. To understand the extent to which plant-based meat alternatives can already substitute conventional meat in terms of price and nutritional value, detailed knowledge of current market offerings is essential. We conducted an analysis of 38 plant-based minced products and 36 plant-based sausage products in Austrian supermarkets. The data were obtained using standardized observation in Austrian supermarkets reflecting 90% of the current market, expanded further through secondary data, and analyzed the generated dataset using mean value comparison. To provide a broader perspective on the trends in these markets, we incorporate results from a comparative study conducted in Australia. Our results obtained through t-tests revealed that there is no statistically significant difference in the protein content of plant-based meat substitutes and conventional meat (at the 95% confidence interval), underscoring the potential of meat substitutes as an alternative source of protein. Offering comparable protein content but with significantly lower caloric intake (at the 1% significance level), plant-based substitutes may contribute to reducing obesity in industrialized countries. The findings also reveal that plant-based products continue to be priced significantly higher than conventional meat (at the 1% significance level). We found substantial differences in ingredients and other nutritional values of plant-based products between Austria and Australia, although the main protein sources are the same in both countries, with peas being included in 60 out of 74 and soy in 27 out of 74 Austrian products. Our article concludes with a discussion of the implications for scholars and policymakers and identifies new avenues for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]