Seventeenth International Conference on Environmental, Cultural, Economic & Social Sustainability

Abstract

One of the targets of Sustainable Development Goal 6 is to increase water-use efficiency in all sectors to ensure the availability of water resources. In the domestic sphere, water consumption is largely conditioned by the habits and behavior of individuals. The relationship with nature has been identified as a driver of a wide range of pro-environmental behaviors, however, its role in the adoption of responsible water consumption habits remains largely unexplored. In this study, we investigated the influence of connection and contact with nature on five different uses of water at home. Using ordered probit regressions in a sample of 874 students from the University of Granada (Spain), we found that connectedness to nature is positively related to efficient water use in showering, food treatment, and during dental hygiene, while nature contact is positively associated with efficient use of taps and shower water. The efficient use of household appliances is the only water consumption behavior studied that is not significantly associated with the relationship with nature. These findings open a new path for water conservation policies and underline the importance of nature in achieving a sustainable use of this resource.