There is a general lack of concern for waste management amongst low socioeconomic status individuals. This could be because of a belief of learned helplessness. The poor are conditioned to perceive an absence of control over the outcome of their current waste situation. Because they are poor, they may feel that they cannot afford to carry out pro-environmental behaviours such as purchasing biodegradable items, and thus do not bother.
There is also a lack of knowledge. Some Indians may not know of the extent of pollution or hazardous waste management or the consequences these issues pose on the environment and standards of living. In addition to that, a barrier they may face in carrying out pro-environmental behaviour is that they do not have exposure to information on recycling and the possible individual efforts they should take.
photo credit: guardian.co.uk
Social Status pressures are one reason why the attitudes towards waste management is like this. is because of the social norms of prejudice. The poor who live in slums depend on recycling materials for their livelihood as rag pickers. Middle age income families do not engage in recycling. The rich can afford to engage in proenvironmental behaviors but majority do not. Essentially, apart from the slum dwellers, there is a lack of behavioral commitment to sorting out recyclables in the citizens. Some citizens from higher socioeconomic classes show ignorance and the dismissal of such behavior because they feel that it is the job of the under-privileged to do so as waste is perceived to be associated with lower status individuals in the caste system. The social marginalization in this country is ultimately damaging not just to society but also to the environment.
In addition to that, some Indian people follow others in dumbing rubbish out into the streets. This could stem from the difficulty in discerning the environmental effects of their actions from personal experience. Again, the lack of education on environmental impacts remains to be detrimental to the country.
The proenvironmental values of Hinduism are not strong enough to overcome pressures or poverty, tyranny, poor infrastructure and competition for scarce resources. These external pressures impedes the expression of hindu values.
The local labour conditions are inferior to those in government service in terms of wages, job insecurity, benefits and facilities. Therefore, jobs in the waste industry are not attractive to prospective workers. At the same time, these jobs require some degree of skill and education. With social marginalization keeping the poor in reach of education, they may not acquire enough skills required by the waste industry.
It is to no suprise that the economic forces are not in the direction of proenvironmentalism. Conservation is just not in the best interests of India’s economic strongmen and stakeholders.