Consumption has emerged as a pivotal concept in environmental sustainability debates. Since the 1992 Earth Summit, there has been an increasing focus on the role that consumption and consumer lifestyles play in global environmental change. Agenda 21 called on countries to promote more 'sustainable consumption' patterns and lifestyles. Despite these recommendations, there are significant political and ideological challenges to implementing effective sustainable consumption policies at a global and national level. This thesis explores the politics of sustainable consumption in New Zealand. Using critical discourse analysis and in-depth semi-structured interviews with nine consumers, I employ post-structural and cultural geography theories to unpack the problematic nature of sustainable consumption. In particular, I examine dominant environmental and consumption discourses to explore why barriers to sustainable consumption exist. It is important to examine these issues from a socio-cultural perspective, as the dominant hegemonic discourses relating to the environment and sustainability shape both policy responses and public understandings of environmental change and sustainability issues. Prevailing policy responses to environmental change in New Zealand construct the 'environmental problem' in narrowly scientific and economic terms. Concern has centred on 'managing' carbon emissions, rather than addressing the underlying drivers of environmental degradation which lie in current political-economic structures and consumption levels. As such, environmental policy has been embedded within an ecological modernisation discourse which links sustainability with notions of 'progress' and efficiency. Under this discourse, the consumer has been repositioned as an important 'political' agent responsible for fostering sustainable consumption and environmental care. Through largely non-political and non-regulatory measures, consumers have been encouraged to reduce their 'carbon footprints' by considering the environmental impacts of their daily personal consumption habits. This approach has individualised and depoliticised environmental issues, obscured the complexities of personal consumption and sustainability, and left limited options for participation in processes of change.

<p>Political consumers, by using their consumerism to make political statements, constitute a potential force in changing global consumption patterns towards more sustainable ones. Thus new insights concerning this specific group and its ways of searching for information prior to a purchase decision might help understand the mechanisms behind sustainable consumption choices. This study is based on a series of twelve personal qualitative interviews conducted with Swedish consumers of sustainable goods. These interviews confirmed certain characteristics known to political consumers, such as a high level of commitment, high standards regarding information and the frequent use of labelling schemes. Furthermore this study has shown the complexity experienced by this group of consumers regarding sustainability claims and the role of a chosen “sustainability champion” in helping make sense of this complex information. Finally this study reminds of the significance of respecting the consumer and his trust for a message as well as the need for simple and clear information tools to distinguish proper sustainable goods from others.</p>

Adopting more sustainable consumption habits has been identified as a necessary step in the progression towards a sustainable society. In the area of sustainable consumption, personal food behaviour represents a strong leverage point. University students have been identified as a strategic audience; habits established during this transformative period can track forward into later life. This study seeks to identify the barriers inhibiting students from eating more sustainably. Perceived benefits of eating more sustainably, student food preferences, and student definitions of sustainable food are also identified. Focus groups, surveys, and interviews were carried out at universities in Europe, North America and Australia. Results show that perceived cost of sustainable food and a lack of knowledge, time and availability were ubiquitous barriers preventing students from adopting more sustainable eating habits. In addition to gathering the perceptions of others, the authors’ understanding of the challenges and benefits of eating more sustainably was augmented by a month-long self-study. Results from the self-study show that it is feasible to eat more sustainably without incurring additional costs. Recommendations informed by the focus groups, surveys, interviews and self-study are made to help students overcome the barriers to eating more sustainably.

The majority of earlier studies on media and the environment have concentrated on media contents, effects, and associated problems and limitations. The focus here on 'approaches to improvement' advances research in this field a step forward. This research proposes three broad 'approaches to improvemen' and undertakes four case studies to provide an exploration of their potentials. First is the 'educational approach' of building journalists' knowledge. Two cases studies illustrate the high potentials of this approach. Assessment of a mid-career training initiative in environmental reporting reveals positive impacts on journalists' knowledge, reporting skills, and job satisfaction. Evaluation of a university journalism module on sustainability shows increases in students' understanding of the meaning and multidimensional nature of sustainability, and their appreciation of the need for enhancing public awareness through media coverage. Second is the 'social responsibility approach' of media receptiveness towards a more responsible role in communicating these issues. An analysis of newspersons' views reveals partial support for this approach – although they were somewhat unreceptive to media environmental policies as a way of expressing social responsibility, they tended to be receptive towards an educative role. However, journalistic routines and norms may restrict an educative approach to news reporting. Third is the 'message framing approach' of employing effective and persuasive communication strategies in the framing of mediated information to influence understanding and perception. An experimental assessment of an information campaign on 'sustainable consumption', designed based on this approach finds some increases in community understanding and concern; thus, illustrating the potentials of this approach. Finally, drawing from the findings of the case studies and other observations in the literature the study identifies the interdependencies between the three approaches and the interconnected network of other influencing factors that are likely to determine their success – thus providing a clearer perspective of their viability in the real world.

Living in harmony with nature is a pervasive ideology, or cultural blueprint, of how a "sustainable future,” a "good society,” and a "fulfilled life" would look like. However, this notion of harmony with nature is highly paradoxical, as consumers often want and even must dominate and control nature. The current thesis explores consumers’ desires of living in harmony with nature through a post-human analysis of how backcountry hikers negotiate tensions between utilitarian and romantic discourses of nature vis-à-vis their experience of material forces of nature. Through conceptualizing nature as an active actor in a symmetric assemblage of material and cultural entities (i.e., nature agency), this thesis contributes to our understanding of the human/nature relationship, materialism, and sustainable consumption. Findings are presenting through three interrelated themes. The first theme highlights how hikers appropriate romantic discourses by seeking harmony in a nature that is perceived as external to civilization. Noting the contradiction that hikers’ quest for being in harmony with a “romantic nature” oftentimes exposes them to higher physical dangers in material nature, the subsequent themes explore how harmony can arise when hikers have to struggle with physical dangers of nature. Focusing on physical dangers that are experienced in material nature, theme 2 finds that hikers’ relationship with nature is highly ambivalent: They strive to experience “more nature and less civilization”, but also “more civilization and less nature.” The third theme explores how meanings of nature and technology emerge from fluidly shifting assemblages, finding that the same technological resources can both distract from and enable feelings of harmony with nature. These findings contribute to consumer research by broadening our understanding of the human/nature relationship and by challenging previous notions (Canniford and Shankar 2013) that technology and civilization must always betray consumers’ experiences of “romantic nature.” Furthermore, the notions of nature agency and that no single actor can unilaterally shape the assemblage of heterogeneous entities contribute to the emerging material turn in consumer research. Finally, this post-human analysis of consumers’ relationships with nature offers theoretical and practical implications for sustainable consumption and sustainable marketing. / Thesis (Ph.D, Management) -- Queen's University, 2014-01-31 14:58:31.326

The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine what values influence Swedish consumers when purchasing tomatoes. Previous research show that there are many factors and attributes that consumers choose from. These aspects included health, low price, labelling of products, knowledge of what labels stand for, trust in the information of the packaging and appearance of the product. The values that were investigated in this study were conceptualized by Geert Hofstede and Fons Trompenaars. They both have similar theories of national cultures, which they explained by making cultural dimension scales. These were based on values that can be identified in cultures. The cultural dimensions were individualism versus collectivism, masculinity versus femininity, high or low uncertainty avoidance, long or short-term orientation, how humans relate to the environment and individualism versus communitarianism. To investigate this, the following research questions were asked; (1) what factors/attributes are important to Swedish consumers when purchasing tomatoes, (2) what values are prominent in Swedish consumers and (3) what the relations between factors/attributes and values regarding Swedish tomato consumption are. In order to answer this, a survey was answered by 310 respondents. To understand why consumers value different factors/attributes, and possibly change consumption patterns, it is important to know what influences consumers. The results showed that the factors/attributes investigated proved to be more or less equally important no matter what pole of the different dimensions the respondents belonged to. Finally, some parts of the results did not correspond with previous research, the main difference was that low price was not considered as important as previous research showed.

abstract: In recent years, the length of time people use and keep belongings has decreased. With the acceptance of short-lived furniture and inexpensive replacements, the American mentality has shifted to thinking that discarding furniture is normal, often in the guise of recycling. Americans are addicted to landfills. The high cost of landfill real estate and other considerable ecological impacts created by the manufacturing of furniture should persuade people to give their belongings a longer life, but in reality, furniture is often prematurely discarded. This grounded theory study takes a multi-method approach to analyze why some types of furniture are kept longer and to theorize about new ways to design and sell furniture that lasts well past its warranty. Case studies bring new insight into designer intention, manufacturer intent, the world of auction-worthy collectables and heirlooms, why there is a booming second-hand furniture market and the growing importance of informed interior designers and architects who specify or help clients choose interior furnishings. An environmental life cycle assessment compares how the length of furniture life affects environmental impacts. A product's life could continue for generations if properly maintained. Designers and manufacturers hoping to promote longevity can apply the conclusions of this report in bringing new pieces to the market that have a much longer life span. This study finds areas of opportunity that promote user attachment, anticipate future repurposing, and provide services. This thinking envisions a paradigm for furniture that can re-invent itself over multiple generations of users, and ultimately lead to a new wave of desirable heirloom furniture. / Dissertation/Thesis / M.S.D. Design 2011

A presente dissertação aborda uma forma de consumo que ganha cada vez mais atenção dos meios de comunicação, bem como da academia, o consumo sustentável, que surge em decorrência da mudança da percepção do conceito de marketing ocorrida em meados do século XX, quando passou a existir o conceito de marketing social. Esse fato contribui para que as empresas dediquem maior preocupação para aspectos antes esquecidos e passem a investir em responsabilidade social. A partir disso, em conjunto com diferentes fatores, como a degradação ambiental, o maior engajamento das pessoas em práticas ambientalmente responsáveis, bem como a formação de uma consciência por parte das pessoas acerca de questões ambientais, o estudo do conceito de consumo sustentável tornou-se de extrema importância. Dessa forma, estudos demonstraram a relação existente entre consumo sustentável e características individuais (DIETZ et al., 2002; VERMEIER; VERBEKE, 2008; RIBEIRO, 2011). Assim, o presente trabalho busca ampliar o conhecimento acerca do tema, relacionando-o com outro construto bastante estudado na área de marketing, os valores pessoais. Dessa forma, realizou-se uma survey com 442 entrevistados, escolhidos de maneira aleatória, na cidade de Porto Alegre, com a utilização de uma escala de consumo sustentável (RIBEIRO; VEIGA, 2010) em conjunto com a escala de valores pessoais – portrait value questionaire (PVQ) (SCHWARTZ, 1992) com o objetivo de verificar a relação entre esses dois construtos. Os resultados encontrados confirmaram a existência de relação estatisticamente significativa entre as dimensões auto-promoção, abertura à mudança e conservadorismo (valores pessoais) com as dimensões reciclagem, frugalidade, economia de recursos e consciência ecológica (consumo sustentável). A dimensão de valores pessoais auto-transcendência apresentou relação estatisticamente significativa com as dimensões de consumo sustentável economia de recursos e frugalidade. / This dissertation deals with a consumption’s form which gains more and more attention from the media, as well as the academy, the sustainable consumption, which arises because of changing’s perception of marketing’s concept occurred in the middle of twentieth century, when begins to exist the social marketing’s conception. This fact contributes to company dedicates major preoccupation for aspects that were forgotten and became to invest in social responsibility. From this perspective, together with different factors, as the environmental degradation, the major people’s commitment to practices environmentally responsible, as well as the development of a consciousness, from the persons, related to environmental issues, the study of sustainable consumption’s concept became extremely important. In this sense, studies demonstrate the existing relation between sustainable consumption and individual characteristics (DIETZ et al., 2002; VERMEIER; VERBEKE, 2008; RIBEIRO, 2011).Thus, this work aims to extend the knowledge about the topic, relating this issue with another construct much studied in marketing’s area, the personal values. Thereby, a survey took place with 442 interviewees, chosen by random sample selection, in Porto Alegre city, using a sustainable consumption’ scale (RIBEIRO; VEIGA, 2010), together with a personal values’ scale - portrait value questionaire (PVQ) (SCHWARTZ, 1992) with the aim of analyzing the relation between this two constructs. The results achieved confirm the existence of a relation statistically meaningful between the dimensions self-promotion, opening to change and conservatism (personal values) with the dimensions recycling, frugality, economy of resources and ecological conscience (sustainable consumption). The personal value’s dimension self-transcendence presents relation statistically meaningful with the sustainable consumption’s dimension economy of resources and frugality.

This is a thesis about water efficiency, a particular set of practices in the water industry of England and Wales designed to reduce end-use water demand in homes and businesses. Broadly, the thesis aims to understand how water efficiency activities organised and funded by water companies might more effectively support the development of sustainable patterns of domestic demand, in order to contribute to long-term sustainable water management. To achieve this aim, mixed qualitative methods are used to; a) evaluate the extent to which two non-conventional water efficiency activities engage with the collective elements of everyday consumption that existing research deems necessary to steer demand (Strengers, 2012, Macrorie et al., 2014, Shove, 2014, Geels et al., 2015); b) develop a conceptual understanding of demand management as a professional practice, to understand how Water Company activities are shaped, sustained and stifled; and c) develop an understanding of what future water efficiency activities might look like that take account of the findings from this research. Central to this research and analysis is the notion of 'collective', a term that denotes a conceptual perspective on demand that departs from a focus on individuals, towards the shared social, technological and natural relations that structure everyday activity (Browne et al., 2014). The analysis uses this notion of collectives to examine the impacts and limitations of Save Water Swindon, a large-scale 'whole-town' approach to water efficiency (Case Study 1); to explore how Care for the Kennet contributes to demand management by reconfiguring relations between water in the home and water in the river (Case Study 2); and to uncover the collective context of the professional practices of managing demand (Case Study 3). The findings illustrate that demand is shaped by routines that extend far beyond the spaces in which water is used, both intentionally and unintentionally, and therefore highlight a distributed web of people and practices that might be involved in demand management. The findings from these empirical enquiries are used to as the basis to work with the water industry to reimagine interventions that engage in the collective context of demand, and elicit conceptual understandings of the processes and actors involved in governing social change. Overall, the approach taken in this thesis demonstrates the vitality of practice-based enquiry that provides deep analytical detail to better understand the mundane yet complex processes that sustain everyday water use. Supplementing the analysis with ideas from a variety of social science disciplines and working alongside the water industry, facilitated by the CASE studentship, pushes the analysis beyond the confines of domestic practices typical of practice-based research. Subsequently this research offers contributions to policy, practice and theoretical developments as it explores the intersections between demand and professional practices and local environments, evaluates interventions, examines practices of demand management, and unravels the possibilities for future intervention. Consequently, though focused on water management in the UK, this research offers insights for other resource agendas and regional contexts, expanding discussions in these spaces to think creatively about avenues for future policy and management practice.

abstract: Advancing sustainable food systems requires holistic understanding and solutions-oriented approaches that transcend disciplines, so expertise in a variety of subjects is necessary. Proposed solutions are usually technically or socially oriented, but disagreement over the best approach to the future of food dominates the dialogue. Technological optimists argue that scientific advances are necessary to feed the world, but environmental purists believe that reductions in consumption and waste are sufficient and less risky. Life cycle assessment (LCA) helps resolve debates through quantitative analysis of environmental impacts from products which serve the same function. LCA used to compare dietary choices reveals that simple plant-based diets are better for the environment than diets that include animal products. However, analysis of soy protein isolate (SPI) demonstrates that certain plant-based proteins may be less preferable for the environment than some unprocessed meats in several categories due to additional impacts that come from industrial processing. LCAs' focus on production risks ignoring consumers, but the food system exists to serve consumers, who can be major drivers of change. Therefore, the path to a sustainable food system requires addressing consumption issues as well. Existing methods for advancing sustainable food systems that equate more information with better behavior or performance are insufficient to create change. Addressing food system issues requires sufficient tacit knowledge to understand how arguments are framed, what the supporting content is, the findings of primary sources, and complex and controversial dialogue surrounding innovations and interventions for food system sustainability. This level of expertise is called interactional competence and it is necessary to drive and maintain holistic progress towards sustainability. Development strategies for interactional competence are informed by studying the motivations and strategies utilized by vegans. A new methodology helps advance understanding of expertise development by assessing levels of expertise and reveals insights into how vegans maintain commitment to a principle that influences their daily lives. The study of veganism and expertise reveals that while providing information to debunk fallacies is important, the development of tacit knowledge is fundamental to advance to a stage of competence. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Sustainability 2015