Sustainable Consumption for a Better Life: Exploring the Path from Environmental Awareness to Life Satisfaction

Sustainable consumption has important implications not only for environmental protection but also for individual well-being. This study examines the direct and indirect relationships among environmental awareness (EA), environmental concern (EC), sustainable consumption behavior (SCB), and life satisfaction (LS). Data were collected from 746 participants using convenience sampling and analyzed through structural equation modeling (SEM). Results indicate that EA is positively associated with EC and SCB, while SCB is positively related to LS. Direct effects from EC to SCB, from EC to LS, and from EA to LS were not statistically significant. Importantly, SCB mediates the relationship between EA and LS, highlighting sustainable consumption behavior as a key mechanism linking environmental awareness to life satisfaction. Theoretically, these findings advance the literature by emphasizing the central role of responsible consumption in translating environmental awareness into personal well-being. Practically, the results suggest that policymakers, educational institutions, and businesses in Türkiye can promote sustainable behaviors by combining environmental knowledge with accessible actions and value-based motivation, ultimately supporting both societal sustainability and individual life satisfaction.