Abstract

The way in which societies have evolved has resulted in serious deterioration of the current state of the environment. If we want to stop it, it is essential to understand the variables that influence people’s pro-environmental behaviours. In this chapter we describe the results of a study that characterized the pro-environmental behaviour of the citizens of Santiago, the capital of Chile, through the implementation of the Value-Belief-Norm model developed by Stern et al. (Hum Ecol Rev 6:81–98, 1999). Six dimensions of pro-environmental behaviour were evaluated: energy conservation, water conservation, consumption, biodiversity, waste and transport. The results suggest that the population has an ecological vision for the environment, being aware of the current environmental problems and recognising the responsibility that falls on the government, enterprises and households regarding the protection of the environment. Implications for enhancing pro-environmental behaviour are discussed.