Impact Of Internet Use And Ecological Cognition On The Willingness Of Households To Sort Household Waste

As China’s reform and opening up continues to deepen,the rural economy has experienced rapid development,resulting in an increase in the income levels of rural residents.However,with this growth comes an increase in the amount of household waste generated and accumulated each year.The resulting issue of rural waste pollution has become increasingly prominent,not only impacting the living environment of rural residents but also hindering the implementation of national strategies such as the promotion of beautiful countryside,ecological civilization,and rural revitalization.In response to this problem,governments at all levels have prioritized rural environmental improvement as a key task for rural development.However,the issue of rural waste has not been adequately addressed,and it has become a pressing issue that urgently needs to be resolved to improve the rural living environment.Villagers are the direct source of rural household waste,making it crucial to stimulate their intrinsic motivation to classify their waste and improve their willingness to participate.To do so,it is essential to consider individual internal factors,such as ecological cognition.In today’s highly informationized social environment,household cognition can be continuously influenced by internet information,changing their willingness to participate accordingly.Therefore,this study focuses on exploring the impact of internet use and ecological cognition on the willingness of households to sort their household waste.This study utilized cognitive theory,the theory of planned behavior,and the A-B-C attitude theory as a foundation,and employed multiple research methods,including literature research,questionnaire surveys,and empirical analysis.The study aimed to explore the impact of internet use and ecological cognition on the willingness of households to sort household waste.The sample comprised of 640 households in Hainan Province,and the study validated the mediating effect of ecological cognition on the relationship between internet use and household participation willingness.The findings revealed that:(1)Internet use has a significant positive impact on the willingness of households to participate in household waste sorting.The internet can provide households with access to more information and environmental knowledge about waste sorting,helping them understand the importance and methods of waste sorting,and thus increasing their willingness to participate.This can be expressed as the path of "internet use → ecological cognition → household sorting willingness".(2)Ecological cognition plays a mediating role in the relationship between internet use and household willingness to sort household waste.Specifically,internet use behavior can influence household ecological cognition,and a good ecological cognition can help improve the willingness of households to sort household waste.(3)The waste sorting work in the sample area still needs to be improved.Currently,only 24.06% of the sample households have started to sort household waste,while 64.84% of households express a high willingness to sort waste.However,their actual behavior contrasts with their intentions,indicating a need for further intervention to encourage waste sorting behavior.Based on the research findings,this study proposes several policy suggestions aimed at promoting environmental actions,such as waste sorting.These policy suggestions include utilizing the educational function of internet platforms,transforming household attitudes and cognition,and developing informal institutions to encourage household participation in waste sorting.The aim is to leverage the role of internet platforms,enhance the ecological cognition of households,and encourage their active participation in waste sorting.