Cleaner and Responsible Consumption最新文献

In Japan, households are required to save more electricity in response to electricity supply shortages after the Great East Japan Earthquake and meet the 66% greenhouse gas reduction target in the residential sector under the Paris Agreement. This study examines the effects of providing information to promote the implementation of green curtains, a summer electricity-saving behavior at home, using a randomized controlled trial for residents in Japan. Green curtains are made by growing annual vines, like curtains on a net stretched across a window or wall, and have the effect of reducing room temperature by providing shade. Based on their characteristics, being visible to others and a low implementation rate, we examine the effects of the perceptions and cognitions of the implementation of green curtains in the city (subjective descriptive norm) and the information provided on the trends in green curtain implementation in neighboring districts (objective descriptive norm) on the respondents' willingness to implement. The results show that subjective descriptive norms influence the willingness to implement. Further, the information about neighboring districts with slightly higher green curtain implementation rates is more effective than information about neighboring districts with significantly higher rates. This examination of the comprehensive influence of descriptive norms and the effect of the dynamic and relatively comparative forms of providing descriptive norm information have implications for studies in other fields on promoting prosocial behaviors visible to others and with low implementation rates.

Reducing the current level of meat consumption would reap significant environmental benefits. However, a consumer transition towards more plant-rich eating is lagging, and the social sciences have had limited success in understanding behavioural change in this area. Here, we advocate a research agenda focussing on the role social networks could play in encouraging consumers to eat less meat. We present main research directions in social network theory and highlight the distinction between simple and complex behavioural domains of which food and eating practices are an example of the latter. To illustrate one way in which social network insights can contribute to meat reduction research, we then present results from a questionnaire-based study of Danish consumers. We examine the association between an individual's personal network and reduced meat consumption. In line with assumptions, we show that, for a complex domain such as food and eating practices, exposure from multiple network sources is central to behavioural adoption. However, multiple network exposure is predominantly important for the initial decision to eat less meat. A narrower network of personal contacts become more central during the implementation stage. We end by outlining future research directions for social network research regarding meat reduction.

Reducing peat consumption in hobby gardening offers considerable potential for reducing CO₂ emissions, since peatlands are one of the most important natural carbon sinks. While existing research focuses on the products and their diffusion, we focus on people and their practices of gardening. So we conducted 44 interviews with hobby gardeners in Germany from three different contexts: gardening at home, in an allotment garden, and in an urban gardening initiative. Our findings show that substrates are not a major part of gardeners' social interactions. Purchasing substrates is a utility-driven process with, compared to gardening itself, mostly passive information behavior. Although (basic) knowledge about peat is widespread among hobby gardeners, price is the dominant purchase criterion for substrates; sustainability does not play an important role. Our results suggest that communication campaigns by governments and companies should convey substrate-related messages in those places where gardeners go to seek information, e.g. gardening-related publications. Communication should focus on the functional value of peat-free substrates and not just explain environmental benefits. Lastly, campaigns should target home gardeners rather than urban gardeners and allotment gardeners who rarely buy any substrates but rely on their own production.

In an era demanding sustainable consumption, the challenge of single-used plastic (SUP) remains significant. This study delves into the transformative capacity of the Importance-Performance Eduruption method to reshape consumerism and encourage SUP reduction. Drawing on binary choice models, we elucidated the determinants influencing students' willingness to participate in SUP reduction initiatives. Beyond the quantitative metrics, the study highlighted the deep-seated influence of educational methods. Applied learning strategies like Problem-Based and Project-Based Learning emerged as influential touchpoints, aligning students with sustainable habits. Simultaneously, the importance-performance analysis revealed areas needing immediate intervention, notably research-oriented methods. Our findings spotlight the influential role education plays in driving sustainable consumer behavior. By integrating importance-performance insights into curriculum planning and broader policy frameworks, stakeholders can more effectively harness the disruptive potential of education to further the goals of Sustainable Development Goal 12 and create a more sustainable future.

The involvement of supply chains in the creation of competitive advantages can drive change and innovation, particularly when considering the current need for sustainable practices in line with the demands of the consumer market. In this context, this study aims to investigate the impact of the dynamic capabilities of market sensing and innovation on sustainable innovation practices in supply chains and on market performance. For this, a survey was performed with 137 Brazilian experts in supply chain management using Structural Equation Modeling. We found a positive impact of the dynamic capabilities of market sensing and innovation on sustainable innovation practices in supply chains and on market performance. The investigation indicated paths for the adoption of a multilevel theoretical perspective based on the exploration of dynamic capabilities in line with marketing objectives.

One of the challenges that Europe has undertaken is the transition from a linear economic system to a circular economy, where waste and resources are recovered and regenerated. The practice of upcycling in the agri-food sector represents one of the most promising solutions to the enormous problem of food waste. However, the information available to consumers about foods made with upcycled ingredients is still scarce, limiting their acceptance and creating a critical barrier to their success in the market. The objective of this study is to determine the factors that affect Italian consumers’ intention to purchase and willingness to pay for a specific upcycled food enriched with a high-value vegetable by-product by applying a logit model, an interval regression, and a contingent valuation. Results show that knowledge about upcycling and the circular economy is still limited. Innovative consumers who are already aware of upcycling, who are not food neophobic, and who have a positive opinion of recycling are more willing to purchase upcycled products. At the same time, women who are already aware that the food industry produces considerable quantities of waste and who have a positive image of recycling are more willing to pay for a specific upcycled food. Finally, our sample proved to be willing to pay a premium price for an upcycled frozen margherita pizza. An informed consumer, aware of the environmental and health benefits of upcycled products, may become more willing to purchase them and to pay more compared to the same conventional products.

Sustainable consumption is increasingly considered critical for the sustainable growth of developing countries. Consequently, these countries exert significant efforts to foster sustainable consumption behaviors among the consumer public to maximize their sustainability outcomes. This research, while making appeals to the sustainable consumption theory and the stakeholder theory, aims to determine the role of a few critical antecedents, namely the attitude of consumers towards sustainable consumption, their overall satisfaction with the consumption of sustainable products/services, consumers' environmental knowledge and sustainable consumption promotions together with social media influence in engendering sustainable consumption behaviors among consumer publics, along with the role of governments' sustainable consumption policies in enabling such effects. After performing PLS-based structural equation modeling on 500 data points, we found a significant positive role in the consumers' attitude towards sustainable consumption, their sustainable consumption promotions, the impact of social media, and the environmental knowledge possessed by the consumers in inducing sustainable consumption behaviors. In addition, the mediating effects of sustainable consumption promotions and the instrumental role of the government's sustainable consumption policy have also been empirically substantiated. Besides contributing to advancing the body of knowledge encompassing sustainable consumption and sustainable growth/development, the study puts forward several practical implications for the consumers, practitioners, and public policymakers to transmogrify sustainable consumption behaviors by influencing consumers' attitudes, enhancing their environmental knowledge and social media enabled discourse enkindled by an efficacious sustainable consumption policy put in place by the government.

The article outlines the prerequisites for implementing the principles of the circular economy in the activities of enterprises in the processing industry, and defines the peculiarities of the circular economy functioning. The absolute dynamics of environmental pollution were investigated, the average annual rate of increase in the volume of pollution, structural shifts in the use of waste by region, and the environmental friendliness of the products of the processing industry were analyzed. The methods of assessing structural changes make it possible to determine the nature of the changes that occurred within the hierarchy of priorities. On the other hand, methods of scenario analysis changes in the environmental pollution amount per unit of production of the processing industry were applied. The concept of closed ecological and economic cycle development in the processing industry is proposed, which combines modern practical experience of the circular economy implementation and economic and mathematical methods and models, allows to perform a quantitative assessment of the impact of the proposed measures on the environment and to adopt reasoned more balanced decisions. Recommendations for the implementation of the ecological and economic cycle in the processing industry of Ukraine were provided.

In the face of an increasingly global climate and food system crisis that unfolds alongside increasing urbanization, the importance of identifying novel ways of producing food in urban areas and linking this to achieving multiple sustainability objectives has increased. Previous evidence from Finland suggests that the growth in popularity of urban farming is driven by an interest in revitalizing the city, developing a sense of community, and increasing awareness about the value of food. These motives have encouraged different levels of governance to participate in developing urban agriculture (UA) in Finnish cities. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the suitability, benefits, and obstacles to the co-creation of UA in residential areas with housing companies. The results indicate that flexible module-based planning and availability of key site actors and factors (access to information and irrigation) are crucial to achieving UA's benefits. Additional benefits in the apartment building environment were perceived in terms of social capital, with respect to community-building, enhanced living comfort, and enhanced quality in the living environment.

The healthcare sector faces increasing challenges in managing the environmental impact of single-use masks and medical waste, prompting the exploration of innovative solutions for greener healthcare. This study investigates converting single-use mask waste into Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF) as a sustainable waste management approach. A quantitative analysis assessed the average waste generation of single-use masks in a healthcare facility over three months. The potential RDF production was estimated by calculating single-use masks' weight and calorific value. Additionally, Thermogravimetric Analysis was employed to evaluate the thermal behavior of RDF and its suitability as an alternative fuel source. The findings indicate an average monthly waste generation of 41,555 masks weighing 111.2 kg. RDF production from single-use mask waste yields a daily output of 3.706 kg, providing a promising solution to reduce medical waste. TGA analysis reveals a multi-step degradation process for RDF, with a significant mass loss between 300 and 500 °C, rendering it a viable renewable energy source. Converting single-use mask waste into RDF presents an opportunity for healthcare institutions to contribute to net-zero emission goals, reducing reliance on fossil fuels and embracing sustainable waste management practices.