“Zero-Waste Campus” Construction in Western China under the Background of Low-Carbon Economy: Evidence from Universities in Gansu Province

Abstract

With the deep integration of the "Dual Carbon" strategy and ecological civilization construction, universities as the core platforms for ecological education and green practices have made "Zero-Waste Campus" initiatives a pivotal driver for advancing green transformation in higher education and supporting regional sustainable development. This study, based on a mixed-methods empirical investigation of 12 diverse universities in Gansu Province, incorporates 2,387 valid questionnaires, 156 semi-structured interviews, and field observations in five key areas. It systematically identifies three core challenges in Gansu's "zero-waste campus" development: structural deficiencies in waste sorting facilities and standardized signage systems, cognitive-behavioral gaps in student waste sorting, and systemic failures in resource recycling. By applying the Theory of Planned Behavior, Collaborative Governance Theory, and Circular Economy Theory, the research analyzes constraints across four dimensions-facility planning, educational incentives, technological policies, and behavioral culture-and proposes a four-dimensional governance model: "intelligent empowerment, educational immersion, collaborative linkage, and policy safeguards." Building on this foundation, the study offers regionally adaptive and practical strategies to provide replicable pathways for "Zero-Waste Campus" development in Gansu and ecologically fragile western regions, thereby enriching global theoretical and practical paradigms for green governance in non-developed areas.