The relationship between ecological footprint awareness and ecoanxiety level in adults

The present study aimed to examine the relationship between the ecological footprint awareness and eco-anxiety levels of adults. This descriptive and cross-sectional study was conducted in Kırklareli between March 2023 and February 2024, with 393 people who were aged 18 and over who volunteered to participate in the study. The data of the study were collected face to face with the help of Personal Information Form, Ecological Footprint Awareness Scale, and Eco-Anxiety Scale. The average age of the participants was 37.63±10.07 and 51.4% were women. The Ecological Footprint Awareness Scale and Eco-Anxiety Scale total score averages of the participants under the age of 40, living in cities, spending most of their life in cities, having university education or higher, not having children, who perceived their income as good or moderate level, who were interested in environmental issues, who were members of environmental organizations and participated in their activities, who received training on and ecological footprint and who had knowledge about carbon and water footprint were statistically and significantly higher than other categories (p<0.05). No significant relationship was determined between gender and the number of people living together and the total scores of the Ecological Footprint Awareness Scale and Eco-Anxiety Scale (p>0.05). A moderately strong and positive correlation was detected between the Eco-Anxiety Scale total score and the Ecological Footprint Awareness Scale total item score (p<0.001); Food, Transportation and Housing, Energy (p<0,001). A weak and strong, positive and statistically significant relationship was detected between the Waste and Water Consumption subscale item scores (p<0,001). In conclusion, the increased awareness of the adults in ecological footprint increased their awareness of sustainable environment. Along with the increasing level of eco-anxiety, the increased level of awareness may play roles in encouraging environmental participation and provide motivation in pro-environmental behaviors.