Understanding the relationship between environmental knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors is essential for promoting sustainable practices, especially among young adults. Despite growing global concern about environmental issues, a persistent gap remains between what individuals know, how they feel about these issues, and how they act. This study examines that gap by exploring how environmental knowledge and attitudes influence sustainable behavior among university students in Greece. Drawing on preliminary findings from a pilot survey, this study investigates the extent to which students’ knowledge is related to their attitudes and engagement in pro-environmental actions. The results revealed a notable knowledge gap, yet environmental knowledge was positively associated with both attitudes and behaviors. While attitudes were also linked to behavior, they did not mediate the relationship between knowledge and action. These findings suggest a direct connection between environmental knowledge and sustainable behavior, highlighting the complexity of the knowledge–attitude–behavior dynamic. The study offers a valuable foundation for future research and practical insights for developing more effective educational programs and sustainability initiatives.

In response to growing pressures for sustainability in tourism, this paper examines the techno-economic evaluation of green innovations in small and medium-sized tourism enterprises (SMEs). Focusing on a single case study of a hotel in Greece, the research investigates how and why specific sustainability interventions were implemented and assesses their operational and economic impacts. The study adopts an interpretivist approach, combining process tracing with thematic analysis. The analysis is guided by innovation diffusion theory, supported by organizational learning perspectives, to explain the stepwise adoption of sustainability practices and the internal adaptation processes that enabled them. The techno-economic evaluation draws on quantitative indicators and qualitative assessments of perceived benefits and implementation challenges, offering a broader view of value beyond purely financial metrics. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, on-site observations, and internal documentation. The findings reveal a gradual, non-linear path to innovation, shaped by adoption dynamics and organizational learning, reinforced by leadership commitment, contextual adaptation, supply chain decisions, and external incentives. Key interventions, including solar energy adoption, composting, and the formation of zero-waste partnerships, resulted in measurable reductions in energy use and landfill waste, along with improvements in guest satisfaction, operational efficiency, and local collaboration. Although it is subject to limitations typical of single-case designs, the study demonstrates how even modest sustainability efforts, when integrated into daily operations, can generate multiple types of outcomes (economic, environmental, and operational). The paper offers practical implications for tourism SMEs and policymakers and formulates propositions for future testing on sustainable innovation in the tourism sector.

Family-owned accommodation enterprises, including small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), play a critical role in tourism economies, yet their contribution to environmental sustainability transitions remains underexamined. Drawing on the Resource-Based View (RBV), this study examines the relationship between environmental sustainability practices and perceived business performance in family-owned accommodation SMEs in Greece, considering cost advantage and differentiation advantage as parallel mediators. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire completed by representatives of 136 family-owned accommodation SMEs between March and April 2026. Environmental sustainability practices were measured as the breadth of adoption of 22 operational practices related to energy efficiency and low-carbon technologies, water conservation and management, and waste reduction and circular resource management. Business performance was assessed through a broad perceptual composite, whereas cost advantage and differentiation advantage were assessed using reflective multi-item scales. The results show that environmental sustainability practices were positively related to perceived business performance, cost advantage, and differentiation advantage. In the main mediation model, the indirect association through cost advantage was statistically significant, whereas the indirect association through differentiation advantage was not statistically significant. These findings suggest that, in family-owned accommodation SMEs, operational environmental practices may be more readily connected with business outcomes through resource efficiency, cost control, and operational consistency than through a differentiation pathway. The study refines the application of the Resource-Based View by showing how established competitive mechanisms operate when sustainability is represented by the breadth of specific operational practices in the resource-constrained context of family-owned accommodation SMEs.

This paper provides a comprehensive life cycle assessment (LCA) comparing glass and PET vinegar bottles in the Greek market to determine the more eco-friendly option. The analysis covers a 500 mL glass bottle and a 390 mL PET bottle, examining eleven subsystems from raw material acquisition to recycling. The initial findings indicate that glass bottles require more resources and have a greater environmental impact than PET bottles across several factors, despite the traditional perception of glass as being environmentally superior. This difference is partly due to the heavier weight of glass bottles than PET bottles. The results highlight the complexity of LCA studies. While LCA methodology has limitations, such as data collection quality, system boundary definitions, assessment challenges, and costs, it provides valuable indicators. This study underscores the need for more extensive data collection and systematic LCA application. By integrating LCA methodology through pilot projects and developing internal expertise, companies can make more accurate assessments, leading to sustainable industrial practices and growth.