Enhancing Carbon Footprint Awareness among Consumers: A Developmental Approach in Pathum Thani, Thailand

Abstract

Aim/Purpose: This study provides important policy and development implications by identifying carbon footprint awareness as the central mechanism driving low-carbon consumption behaviors across transportation, electricity use, and waste management domains. Rather than relying on broad environmental campaigns, the findings suggest that policymakers should embed awareness-building strategies directly into everyday consumption systems. The strong mediating role of awareness within the integrated Theory of Planned Behavior and Value-Belief-Norm framework offers an evidence-based foundation for designing interventions that activate attitudes, perceived behavioral control, and personal moral norms simultaneously. From a development perspective, enhancing carbon footprint awareness supports not only environmental sustainability, but also responsible citizenship and long-term behavioral change, particularly in rapidly urbanizing peri-urban areas such as Pathum Thani. Accordingly, integrated low-carbon strategies that coordinate energy, transportation, and waste policies under an awareness-centered framework are recommended to strengthen both policy coherence and sustainable social development outcomes.

Introduction/Background: Climate change is a critical global challenge driven by emissions from energy use, transportation, and industry. Beyond technological innovation, achieving long-term climate targets requires changes in consumer behavior, particularly in daily decisions about energy and mobility. In Thailand, the commitment to net-zero emissions by 2050 underscores the importance of consumer participation, making carbon footprint awareness a key mechanism for promoting sustainable consumption at household and community levels. Beyond environmental outcomes, carbon footprint awareness carries significant policy and social development implications. Integrating awareness into transportation, energy, and waste policies can strengthen civic responsibility, stimulate demand for low-carbon goods and services, and support green economic transformation. Focusing on Pathum Thani Province, this study applied behavioral theories to examine how carbon footprint awareness influences pro-environmental behavior and regional socio-economic outcomes. The findings highlight the importance of awareness-centered policies in advancing sustainable regional development and inclusive climate transition.

Methodology: A quantitative, cross-sectional survey design was employed to examine the relationships among transportation, electricity consumption, waste management, carbon footprint awareness, and consumer consumption behavior in Pathum Thani Province, Thailand. A structured questionnaire using a five-point Likert scale measured five latent constructs, with a sample of 360 residents aged 18 years or older selected through simple random sampling. Content validity was confirmed by expert review, and reliability testing showed strong internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha scores = .84–.91). Data were analyzed using Confirmatory Factor Analysis and Structural Equation Modeling to test direct and indirect relationships, with model fit assessed using standard goodness-of-fit indices according to established criteria.

Finding: The measurement model demonstrated strong convergent and discriminant validity across five constructs—Transportation, Electricity Consumption, Waste Management, Carbon Footprint Awareness, and Consumer Consumption with factor loadings above .70, AVE values exceeding .50, composite reliability above .70, and Cronbach’s alpha ranging from .84 to .91, confirming internal consistency and construct distinctiveness. Confirmatory Factor Analysis indicated acceptable model fit, supporting the adequacy of the measurement structure for structural analysis. The Structural Equation Model further revealed that Transportation (β = .42), Electricity Consumption (β = .55), and Waste Management (β = .48) had significant positive effects on Carbon Footprint Awareness, with electricity consumption exerting the strongest influence. In turn, Carbon Footprint Awareness significantly affected Consumer Consumption (β = .69), confirming its mediating role. Hypothesis testing supported all proposed relationships (p < .001), indicating that routine consumption-related behaviors enhance environmental awareness, which subsequently translates into sustainable consumption decisions.

Contribution/Impact on Society: This study contributes theoretically by empirically establishing carbon footprint awareness as a key psychological mechanism linking consumption-related behaviors to sustainable consumption. Practically, the findings provide evidence-based insights for policymakers and local authorities in Pathum Thani to design targeted interventions focused on energy use, mobility, and waste management. The validated analytical framework also offers applicability for examining sustainable consumption behavior in other regional contexts.

Recommendations: Accordingly, policy interventions in Pathum Thani Province should prioritize energy-related measures, such as real-time electricity feedback systems, carbon labeling of appliances, and tiered tariffs based on energy efficiency, as these are likely to generate the greatest downstream impact on sustainable consumption through enhanced awareness. Waste management programs should integrate explicit carbon-impact communication and community-level emission reporting to strengthen the awareness mechanism identified in the mediation analysis, while transportation policies should combine infrastructure improvements with visible carbon-emission information and digital emission calculators to reinforce cognitive associations between commuting behavior and environmental impact. Overall, an integrated low-carbon strategy centered on systematically enhancing carbon footprint awareness—particularly through energy-focused interventions—offers the most empirically grounded pathway for promoting sustainable consumption in peri-urban contexts similar to Pathum Thani Province.

Research Limitation: This study was subject to several limitations. The focus on a single province may limit generalizability, and the use of self-reported data may have introduced response bias. In addition, the cross-sectional design restricts causal interpretation of the observed relationships, and the model does not incorporate broader social or policy-related factors.

Future Research: Future research should extend the framework to multiple regions and adopt longitudinal designs to better capture changes in awareness and behavior over time. Incorporating additional variables such as social norms, policy interventions, and technological accessibility, as well as mixed-method approaches, would provide a more comprehensive understanding of sustainable consumer behavior.