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Abstract
There are many societal advantages of plastic use, like comfort, hygiene, and safety, that contribute to the reliance on plastic in everyday lifestyles. However, plastic pollution is present in ocean and terrestrial ecosystems across the globe, harming wildlife and human health. The current capacity of waste management systems is ineffective for the safe disposal of recycling plastics. Considering this, consumer interventions for adjusting plastic consumption are needed to reduce plastic pollution. Minimizing plastic waste by addressing single-use bottled water purchasing behaviors and associated use presents a practical approach to reducing plastic consumption as there are viable alternatives that require minimal shifts in daily behaviors. Increasing consumer awareness on the impact of single-use bottled water on human health and the environment through communication interventions may help shift behavior. Yet, the effectiveness of message frames in the agricultural and environmental communications literature varies depending on the context of the issue or study. There is a small amount of research on the best ways to adjust public behavior related to single-use bottled water, warranting an exploration into factors that may explain use and direct communication interventions that address behaviors. Therefore, this quantitative study examined factors that may influence public purchasing and use of single-use bottled water in order to inform environmental communication practices. Recommendations for environmental communicators and national park service managers were discussed.