Denna studie utreder möjligheterna till design för ett hållbart konsumtionsbeteende i syfte att motverka matsvinn i hushåll. Med ett användarcentrerat fokus undersöks detta genom tekniker från Design for Sustainable Behaviour och Nudging. Kylskåpet används som fokusområde för att identifiera behov i användandet för att minska matsvinnet genom lösningar inuti och utanför kylskåpet. Genom metoder såsom Cultural probes, intervjuer, observationer och litteraturstudier anknutet till ett teoretiskt ramverk grundat i hållbar utveckling så presenteras designförslaget Food Members. Kunskapsbidraget består av insikten att det är möjligt att implementera kunskap om matens hållbarhetsbehov i kombination med användarnas behov inom ramen för en hållbar beteendeförändring i användarcentrerad design. / This study investigates the possibilities for design for sustainable consumption behavior in order to counteract food waste in households. With a user-centered focus, this is explored through techniques from Design for Sustainable Behavior and Nudging. The refrigerator is used as a focus area to identify needs for use in order to reduce food waste through solutions inside and outside the refrigerator. Through methods such as Cultural probes, interviews, observations and literature studies linked to a theoretical framework based on sustainable development, the design proposal Food Members is presented. The knowledge contribution consists of the insight that it is possible to implement knowledge about the food’s sustainability needs in combination with the users’ needs within the framework of a sustainable behavior change in user-centered design.

Much work has been done in communicating environmental messages about climate change to promote pro-environmental beliefs and behaviours, yet individual-level behavioural changes are not occurring rapidly enough to make meaningful reductions in environmental harm. Studies have shown that although information-based and scientific means of communicating about climate change are the most common strategies, they are largely ineffective in encouraging pro-environmental behaviour. As an alternative to these fact-based narratives, stories are proposed as effective tools for environmental communication and promoting behavioural change. To determine the impact of the narrative structure of climate change communication on behaviour, this study examined how exposure to fact-based and story-based narrative structures of environmental messages differentially influence the extent of engagement in pro-environmental consumption behaviour. The Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) was used as a framework to examine the attitudinal and behavioural responses to the story-based and fact-based communication conditions. Specifically, we examined the relationship between non-consumption attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioural control, behavioural intentions, and non-consumption behaviour, and explored how narrative structure influences the TPB processes for non-consumption. Participants (n=291) were randomly assigned to read a story or factsheet about the environmental consequences of overconsumption of material goods, or a non-relevant text. Pre- and post-test measures of pro-environmental consumption behaviour were conducted 14 days apart. Post-test attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioural control, and behavioural intentions towards practicing non-consumption were also measured. Results demonstrated that both story-based and fact-based narratives were effective tools for promoting pro-environmental consumption behaviour, providing some support for the information deficit theory. Four domains of pro-environmental consumption behaviour were determined as non-consumption, reuse, activism, and green shopping behaviour. The story-based narrative was more effective than the fact-based narrative and the control narrative in increasing non-consumption and green shopping practices, while activism and reuse behaviour were not influenced differently by narrative structure. The TPB was found to be a useful model for assessing non-consumption, such that non-consumption behaviour was predicted by attitudes, perceived behavioural control and subjective norms through the mediating role of behavioural intentions. Non-consumption attitude was the strongest predictor of intentions, and subjective norm was the weakest predictor of intentions. Narrative structures did not have significant effects on the participants’ reported non-consumption attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioural control or intentions, nor on the relationships between the TPB constructs. The findings suggest that story-based narrative structures are effective tools for delivering climate change information to broad audiences and encouraging pro-environmental behaviour. However, the role of information-based communication should not be discounted. The findings also contribute to the body of research on pro-environmental consumption behaviour by providing a deeper understanding of the psychological mechanisms of non-consumption, an essential yet understudied domain of sustainable behaviour. / Graduate / 2023-01-12

O comportamento do usuário afeta o impacto ambiental gerado durante a fase de uso das edificações e de produtos em geral. O Design para o Comportamento Sustentável (DCS) é uma abordagem que visa tornar o comportamento do usuário mais sustentável através do design do produto. Apesar de estar sendo estudada principalmente nas duas últimas décadas, poucos estudos examinam a eficácia dessa abordagem e a aplicam em edificações escolares. A aplicação de estratégias de DCS em edificações escolares pode trazer benefícios, uma vez que as crianças têm influência no ambiente em que estão inseridas e no comportamento dos adultos ao seu redor. O objetivo deste estudo é propor e avaliar uma solução desenvolvida a partir de estratégias de DCS para criar um ambiente escolar que torne o comportamento do usuário mais sustentável. Primeiramente, os comportamentos que afetam o impacto ambiental nas edificações escolares foram identificados. Após, um kit de adesivos para sanitários (EcoSticker) foi proposto e implementado em duas escolas. O consumo de recursos (energia, papel higiênico, papel toalha e sabão) antes e após a intervenção foi medido. Posteriormente, entrevistas, questionários e um workshop foram realizados para entender melhor os dados de consumo coletados e a percepção dos usuários sobre o kit. O consumo de energia diminuiu nas duas escolas, demonstrando que o EcoSticker pode alterar positivamente o comportamento do usuário. A partir deste trabalho foram obtidos os potenciais benefícios e limitações da aplicação de estratégias de DCS em edificações escolares. / The user behaviour affects the environmental impact generated during the usage phase of buildings and products in general. Design for Sustainable Behaviour (DfSB) is an approach that focus on influence users to behave more sustainably through the product design. Although it has received attention particularly in the last two decades, few studies examined the effectiveness of such approach and apply it on school buildings. The application of DfSB strategies in school buildings can bring some benefits, once children have influence on their environment and on how adults behave. The goal of this study is to propose and test an artefact developed according to the DfSB strategies to create a school environment that leads to a more sustainable behaviour. First, behaviours on school buildings that affect the environmental impact were identified. Then, a toolkit for washrooms (EcoSticker) was proposed and implemented in two schools. The resources consumption (energy, toilet paper, paper towel and soap) prior and after the intervention was measured. Afterwards, interviews, questionnaires and a workshop were carried out to further understand the consumption data collected and users’ perception of the toolkit. The consumption of energy have decreased in both schools, demonstrating that the EcoSticker toolkit can change user behaviour positively. At the end, the potential benefits and constrains in applying DfSB strategies on school buildings were discussed.

Inspired by the question of the Club of Rome as to Design could help to translate the ubiquitous knowledge on sustainability into daily practise and Peter Senge's belief on mental models as a limiting factor to implementation of systemic insight (Senge 2006), we explored working with mental models as a sustainable design tool. We propose a definition for design uses. At the 7th Sustainable Summer School we collected general unsustainable mental models and "designed" sustainable ones. These mental models were tested as a part of the briefing to student projects and evaluated by the students. Analysing an existing product portfolio, we tested the ability of mental models to aid the creation of strategic design advice. We argue that mental models in the form of associative thinking and cognitive metaphors have been part of designing all along and overlap in nature with design methodologies to such an extent that they are sublimely suited to be used as a design tool. We summarize our prototyping exercises with the proposal of a design process using mental models to root sustainability in design practise and thinking beyond present-day eco-design (Liedtke et al 2013, Luttropp and Lagerstedt 2006, Pigosso and McAloone 2015).

This thesis investigates the influence that cultural differences have in the designing of products and services that encourage sustainable lifestyles. This was researched through a case study of dishwashing practices in Mexico and the UK, and the development of a methodological framework for supporting designers working in cross-cultural contexts. Designers can shift user behaviour to be more responsible, and by doing this, reduce a product s impact on the use phase of its lifecycle. Nevertheless, designing products that successfully drive behaviour towards a more sustainable path can only be accomplished if they are conceived to fit the user and the specific context of interaction. In order to do so, designers must truly understand the users, and take into account the complex web of factors that lay behind individual behaviour. A comprehensive review of the literature established an understanding of human behaviour and the emergence and evolution of practices and routines. This brought to light the diverse behavioural patterns in different contexts; and was further investigated with a scoping study in two different locations (Mexico and the UK), exploring general water consuming practices in the home, specifically manual dishwashing practices. The preliminary findings shaped a study that aimed to deepen the understanding of these practices in the selected sites, involving the use of Cultural Probes and videoing people in their common kitchen environment. A robust and clear image of washing-up practices emerged with rich and detailed data presented in different media, ideal to be implemented in a design process. To this end, a series of multicultural Personas were created as the direct outcome of the Cultural Probes and the scoping study, giving way to the design studies phase of the project, carried out with industrial design students in Mexico and the UK. A design brief for sustainable washing up practices was delivered. Design experiments were used to provide interesting evidence of the influence in the design process of the designers understanding of the target user. The findings indicate that designers benefit from exploration and creativity tools tailored directly from the user-research findings in the early design process. This increases the level of empathy towards the user, particularly making it easier to design for users with different needs and contexts than the designers themselves. It also helps designers to better apply design for sustainable behaviour framework to their concept designs.

The current prevailing take-make-waste economy has caused the global climate crisis, operating outside the Planetary Boundaries of our planet (Rockström et al., 2009), disrupting nature's balance and affecting all life on earth (WWF and Global Footprint Network, 2019). Both the European Commission and the European Environmental Agency (EEA) sees the transition to a circular economy (CE) within the product category: textiles, apparel and fabrics as a priority to address the climate impact of the textile and clothing industry (Manshoven et al., 2019). Even though there is much research done on how design and products can help companies transition to a CE, there is still an unexplored dimension of the role that consumers play in this transition. Thus, this master thesis aims to fill this research gap by exploring consumer behaviour in different consumption phases as well as the role of consumers in the circular textiles economy and investigate how sustainable clothing companies can design to engage consumers in a circular behaviour and role. By doing so, it is hoped to contribute to a better understanding of the dimension of the consumer in the circular textiles economy and to identify ways to fulfill the CE principle - keep products and materials in use. The study was conducted through a novel implementation of Research through Design in combination with Interactive Research by using the Design Thinking framework as a research process. The research was executed in close collaboration with the Swedish outdoor clothing company Houdini Sportswear.  The results show that a number of Circular Consumer Behaviours are desired to be acted out in four identified phases of a Circular Clothing Consumption Process: Lifestyle Creation, Product Acquisition, Product Use and Product Dispossession. Furthermore, it was found that the role of the Circular Consumer is very complex and consists of various sub-roles on four layers: Functional, Emotional, Life Changing and Social Impact. On the basis of this knowledge, the theoretical concept of Design for Circular Consumers was developed. On the basis of this theory, the Design for Circular Consumers Tool was created as the key contribution of this thesis. This tool facilitates the design of experiences that engage consumers in the circular textiles system and subsequently support clothing companies in their transition to circular business models as a way to address the climate impact of the textiles industry.

The electric vehicle industry is under rapid development and the fleet of chargeable cars in society is increasing fast. As a result, a high demand for public chargers has emerged. Simultaneous to the expansion of the electric vehicle fleet and charging infrastructure the power grid is occasionally highly strained. Additionally, factors like cities expanding and the digitization of society also have a large effect on the power grid. This master's thesis investigates the characteristics of electric vehicle users and presents a prototype of an information display for electric vehicle charging stations. The design is is based on the user studies and founded in theory about sustainable user behaviour with the goal of encouraging behaviours that minimize the strain on the local power grid of Uppsala. It concerns the research topic of how to design for sustainable behaviour and address research questions of how to design electric vehicle charging station information to communicate multiple charging alternatives to a broad variety of users. The work reveals that electric vehicle users suffer from the charging infrastructure being underdeveloped, feel frustration towards payment solutions available and lack information regarding electric vehicle use. Also, electric vehicle user's common passion for tech and environmental consciousness are revealed in the study. These facts are used as the foundation for the mobile application design prototype suggested.

Abstracts in English, Sotho and Shona / Environmental Education (EE) in formal education was introduced because of environmental degradation globally, with the aim of developing an environmentally literate citizenry. However, the ultimate goal of EE, that of developing an environmentally literate citizenry, remains a dream while the planet continues to deteriorate. This study explored the environmental literacy level of both teachers and leaners, with a focus on rural primary schools. The study examined the effectiveness of the components of knowledge, attitude and skills in developing environmental literacy in schools. The study further explored how these components promote practices and lifestyle changes towards sustainable behaviour. A qualitative multiple case study design, guided by the interpretivist paradigm, was employed to conveniently sample three cases consisting of 3 teachers and 18 learners. Data was generated through observations, document analysis, as well as face to face and focus group interviews from purposefully sampled Grade 7 educators and learners. The findings revealed both nominal and functional environmental literacy levels amongst teachers and learners. These findings are attributed to a lack of teacher’s expertise in teaching EE content for the development of environmental literacy, the content integration approach of EE in the Department of Basic Education’s Continuous Assessment Policy System (CAPS) curriculum, the focus of the CAPS curriculum on mostly, the knowledge component of EE and a lack of a framework on how EE content should be taught. Lastly, the findings can also be attributed to the rural context in which the study took place, which poses challenges to sustainability lifestyles and practices. The study recommends reorientation of the curriculum to include environmental science as a subject in an integrated curriculum. The findings also recommend the inclusion of environmental policy in schools to guide lifestyle and practices towards sustainable behaviour. / Thutotikologo lefapheng la thuto e hlamilwe ka lebaka la go tlhagala ga tikologo lefaseng ka bophara ka maikemišetšo a go aga setšhaba seo se rutegilego mabapi le tša tikologo. Efeela maikemišetšo a magolo a thutotikologo e sa ntše e le toro mola seemo sa tikologo lefaseng ka bophara se tšwela pele le go hlagala. Maikemišetšo a sengwalwa se ke go nyakišiša maemo a thutotikologo ya barutiši le barutwana, go lebeletšwe kudu dikolo tša fasana tša dinaga magaeng. Sengwalwa se nyakišiša dikarolo tše tharo tša maemo a thutotikologo, e lego tsebo, maikutlo le bokgoni, le gore di hlohleletša bjang thutotikologo, ga mmogo le netefatšo ya maitshwaro le bophelo bjoo bo hlohleletšago tlhokomelo ya tikologo. Qualitative multiple case study design yeo e hlahlilwego ke intepretive paradigm e somišitswe go kgetha dikheisi tše tharo, moo barutiši ba bararo le barutwana ba lesome seswai ba tšerego dinyakišišong tše. Dintlha tša dinyakišišo di kgobokeditšwe ka go tšea temogo ya tikologo le diphaphoši tša dikolo, tshekatsheko ya melaotheo le dipoledišano magareng ga barutiši le barutwana ba mphato wa bo šupa. Dinyakišišo di humana seemo sa fase le sa magareng dithutong tša maemo a tikologo dikolong. Seemo se sa thuto ya tikologo se fegwa godimo ga tlhokego ya bokgoni le tsebo ya barutiši go ruta dithuto tša tikologo, molaotheo wa dithuto sekolong o lebeletše feela lefapha la tsebo, mola o sa bontšhe gore tsebo yeo e swanetše e rutwe bjang. Gape go humanega gore maemo a bophelo dinaga magaeng a fa mathata netefatšatšong ya bophelo le maitshwaro ao a hloleletšago tlhokomelo ya tikologo. Thuto ye e šišinya mpshafatšo ya lenaneothuto le kelo ka go tsenya thuto ya mahlale a tikologo go lenaneothuto le kelo yeo e kopanego. Dinyakišišo di šišinya gape go akaretša leano la tikologo dikolong go hlahla mokgwa wa bophelo le setlwaedi go mekgwa ya tsheketšo. / Pfundo ya zwa mupo kha pfunzo dzi funzwaho zwikoloni yo vha hone nga murahu ha u vhona uri mupo u khou tshinyala nga zwivhuhulu u mona na Ḭifhasi Ḭothe, tshipikwa hu u bveledza vhadzulapo vho funzeaho kha zwa mupo. Fhedzi ha, zwi kha ḓi tou vha muḬoro musi Ḭifhasi Ḭi tshi khou bvelaphanda na u tshinyala. Ngudo/pfunzo iyi yo kona u bveledza vhadzulapo vho funzeaho siani Ḭa zwa mupo kha vhoṱhe, vhadededzi na vhagudiswa. Ngudo iyi yosedzesa kha zwikolo zwa murole wa fhasi kha vhupoha mahayani. Ngudo iyi yo ṱolisisa zwiitisi zwihulwane zwo ṱu ṱuwedzaho vhuvha iyi tevhelaho savhuvha na vhukoni ha u bveledzisa pfuzo ya mupo zwikoloni. Maitele mandzhi a ṱhoḓisiso o rangelwaphanḓa nga vhasedzulusi vhane vha ṱoḓou ḓivhesa shango samusi Ḭo ḓisendeka kana u ṱuṱuwendzwa nga vhupfiwa ha muthu ene muṋe, vho vha hone u itela u sumbhedza milandu miraru ine ya khou kwana vhadededzi vhararu na vhagudiswa vha fumalo. Ngudo iyi yo bvelaphanda na u ṱoḓisisa uri zwiitisi izwi zwi ṱuṱuwendza hani zwithu zwine zwa tshinyadza mupo na u shandukisa matshilele na u tikedza vhudifari. Ngudo i sengulusahao mafhungo o fhambanaho nga vhunzhi, yo rangwa phanḓa nga vhaṱo ḓisisi vhane vha na divhithela Ḭa u pfesesa zwine zwa khou itea dzangoni nga vhuphara, vho vha vho runwa u leludza kha u tia ṱhoḓisiso ya tsedzuluso tharu. Mafhungo o kuvhanganywaho o wanuluswa nga u tou sedza fhedzi, nga u sengulusa manwalwa, u vhudzisa vhathu vho tou livhana navho zwifhaṱuwo, na nga u fara nyambedzano thwi na vhadededzi vha murole wa gireidi ya sumbe na vhagudiswa vhahone. Tsedzuluso dzo wana zwauri ngudo/pfunzo ya zwa mupo a i khou tou dzhieleswa nṱha na u vhonala zwavhu ḓikha vhadededzi na vhagudiswa. Mawanwa a tsedzuluso a khou tou ombedzela uri vhagudisi a vha na vhukoni ha u funza vhana divhamupo kha silabasi ya CAPS. Zwi tou vha khagala u ri zwikolo zwa mahayani zwi na thaidzo nnzhi dza u londota mupo na vhudifari. Ngudo I khou themendela u shandukiswa ha kufunzele na u katelwa ha ngudo ya mufhe sat hero ine ya vha na u ṱumekanya vhupo hoṱhe ha ngudo ya bwa mufhe. Mawanwa a khou ita na u themendela uri hu une na u fatelwa ha ndayotelwa ya mufhe zwikoloni u itela u eletshedza kutshilele na maitele uri hu vhe na vhuḓifani bavhuḓi kha mufhe. / Educational Studies / M. Ed. (Environmental Education)