Title: May spirituality lead to reduced ecological footprint? Conceptual framework and empirical analysis

Authors: Mária Csutora; Ágnes Zsóka

Addresses: Department of Environmental Management and Technology, Corvinus University of Budapest, Fovam ter 8., Budapest 1093 – Hungary ' Department of Environmental Management and Technology, Corvinus University of Budapest, Fovam ter 8., Budapest 1093 – Hungary

Abstract: Living a happy and satisfied life while staying within ecological limits of Earth is a challenge humanity must face during this century. As spirituality impacts our lives in both material and non-material ways, we may reasonably suppose that spiritual beliefs also have an impact on how one thinks about environmental degradation, how likely individuals will behave in a pro-environmental way and how it impacts one's ecological footprint. This article explores the links between a value-driven life and ecological impact, both theoretically and empirically. Our results suggest that traditional religious thinking, in-my-way spiritualism and green value-driven atheism are associated with an increased level of subjective wellbeing, while religious people also seem to be featured by a reduced level of ecological footprint. Materialism is supposed to be associated with a high level of ecological footprint and a low level of subjective wellbeing.

Keywords: spirituality; wellbeing; sustainable lifestyle; happiness; life satisfaction; ecological footprint; pro-environmental behaviour; religion; environmental footprint; ecology; materialism; religious thinking; in-my-way spiritualism; green value-driven atheism.

DOI: 10.1504/WREMSD.2014.058056

World Review of Entrepreneurship, Management and Sustainable Development, 2014 Vol.10 No.1, pp.88 - 105

Published online: 30 May 2014 *

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