From convenience to consciousness: Environmental ethics in the consumptive lifestyles of urban University students

Abstract

Background: Daily lifestyles of urban university students are increasingly influenced by a consumption culture centered on convenience, often at the expense of environmental sustainability.This study aims to explore the environmental ethics paradigms of anthropocentrism, biocentrism, and ecocentrism underlying the consumptive behaviors of university students in Indonesia. Previous research has mostly emphasized technical aspects of waste management or quantitatively measured environmental attitudes, but rarely has it examined the moral values influencing individual consumption choices. The central hypothesis of this study is that students' consumptive behaviors are strongly shaped by normative value systems, rather than merely by environmental knowledge. Methods: This research adopts a qualitative case study approach, involving seven undergraduate students from Universitas Indonesia, Depok, selected through purposive sampling. Data were collected through four weeks of participant observation at major consumption points on campus and semi-structured interviews. Data were analyzed thematically using Braun & Clarke’s method, based on five consumption parameters: food packaging, drinking habits, online shopping behavior, waste management, and ethical awareness. Findings: Reveal that the majority of students still operate within a utilitarian-anthropocentric mindset, prioritizing practicality, price, and prevailing social norms. Only two participants consistently exhibited ecocentric behaviors, such as bringing reusable food containers and avoiding impulsive purchases. A clear knowledge-action gap was identified, reinforced by social norms, emotional dissonance, and the lack of structural support such as incentives or institutional role models. Conclusion: This study concludes that transitioning from a convenience-based to a conscious lifestyle requires value-based interventions through ethical education, sustainability-oriented incentives, and moral leadership within the campus environment. Novelty/Originality of this article: The main contribution of this study lies in its philosophical approach to understanding student consumption as a reflection of environmental ethical reasoning.