Nudges to Curb Single-Use Plastic: An Experimental Evidence from University Cafeteria

Abstract

This study implemented a motivational nudge intervention to reduce single-use plastic usage among students in a university cafeteria. Inspired by Romano and Sotis (2021), cricket themed buckets were placed by the cafeteria juice shop for four weeks. Students opting for reusable cups placed a coin in the Pakistan cricket team bucket, while those using plastic cups placed a coin in the India team bucket. Daily plastic cup usage was recorded pre-and post- intervention. Informed consent was obtained from all participants. A regression analysis found that the intervention led to a significant decrease in plastic cup usage (β = -155.5, p < 0.001). The findings indicate that culturally tailored gamification can effectively motivate reduced consumption of single-use plastics. Further research should explore multifaceted approaches to sustainably shaping student environmental behaviors