Ecological Behavior and Ethos of Responsibility

Sa？etak There has been an empirical research of the students of four faculties at the University of Zagreb (1997; N=685) on "ecological behavior". The highest percentage of respondents practices these "ways" of ecological behavior: selection and recycling (74%), buying of ecological products (62%), saving of electricity and water (41%). Considerably smaller number of respondents supports ecological manifestations (23%), reads ecological literature (17%) or is a member of some ecological association (2%). By means of multivariate analysis two "types" of ecologic behavior have been established: "practical" and "manifest" ecologic activism. The relationship between ecologic behavior and (a) four ethos-types (anthropocentrism, utilitarianism, biocentrism and holism), (b) sovereignty over natural goods and (c) the right to life space have been analyzed. Statistically relevant differences between holistic and egocentric ethos type have been established as well. The author concludes that the advocates of holistic ethos-type, the advocates of limiting the sovereignty over natural goods and the advocates of equal rights of all species to life space are much more inclined towards "practical ecologic activism"