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Environmental Education and Small Business Environmental Activity

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 July 2012

Janice Redmond  and
Beth Walker
Janice Redmond*
Affiliation:
Edith Cowan University, Western Australia
Beth Walker
Affiliation:
Edith Cowan University, Western Australia
*
Address for Correspondence: Dr Janice Redmond, Small and Medium Enterprise Research Centre, School of Management, Edith Cowan University, 100 Joondalup Drive, Joondalup, Western Australia 6027. E-mail: j.redmond@ecu.edu.au
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Abstract

Environmental education is seen as a key driver of small business environmental management, yet little is known about the activities small business owner-managers are undertaking to reduce their environmental impact or in what areas they may need education. Therefore, research that can identify environmental management activities being undertaken in small businesses may provide potential targets for education. As intention to behave in a particular way is often predicated on some sort of planning, extending the research questions to ascertain if planning is occurring and its impact on environmental behaviour in small businesses is also seen as critical. The results revealed that, overall, the level of environmental activity in small business was low and that less than a quarter had an environmental plan. In addition, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and purchasing green energy are not areas of engagement for most small businesses and are recommended as potential targets for education.

Keywords

environmental educationenvironmental managementowner-managerssmall firmsenvironmental planning
Type
Research Article
Information
Australian Journal of Environmental Education , Volume 27 , Issue 2 , 2011 , pp. 238 - 248
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2011

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