Hugo Hanbury, Stephanie Moser, Sebastian Neubert, Patrick Bottazzi, Christoph Bader
Work time reductions (WTRs) may contribute to a transition to a post-growth society. We analysed Swiss stakeholders’ perceptions of the effects of WTRs and their support for measures to implement them. It is assumed that public support will play a significant role in putting WTRs into practice.There is some scientific evidence that work time reductions (WTRs) have beneficial ecological, social, and economic effects that could contribute to a transition to a post-growth society. However, little research has been conducted on whether the occurrence of such desired effects is acknowledged: Do they form part of the public debate and is there any public support for WTRs? We conducted a two-round survey among Swiss stakeholder groups (N = 51/28) to identify what effects they believe WTRs have, and what measures to implement WTRs they would be most likely to support. Stakeholders perceived WTRs to have several beneficial social and economic effects, including effects that are relevant for a transition to a post-growth society. However, they did not assume that ecological effects occur. Measures voluntarily implemented on an organisational level by businesses were more popular than those implemented on a national policy or social partnership level. Certain incremental measures and/or those that are merely conducive to WTRs were uncontested. Other more direct and extensive measures were predominantly supported, but not uncontested.
{"title":"Public support for worktime reductions in Switzerland in the context of a transition to a post-growth society","authors":"Hugo Hanbury, Stephanie Moser, Sebastian Neubert, Patrick Bottazzi, Christoph Bader","doi":"10.14512/gaia.32.3.7","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.14512/gaia.32.3.7","url":null,"abstract":"Work time reductions (WTRs) may contribute to a transition to a post-growth society. We analysed Swiss stakeholders’ perceptions of the effects of WTRs and their support for measures to implement them. It is assumed that public support will play a significant role in putting WTRs into practice.There is some scientific evidence that work time reductions (WTRs) have beneficial ecological, social, and economic effects that could contribute to a transition to a post-growth society. However, little research has been conducted on whether the occurrence of such desired effects is acknowledged: Do they form part of the public debate and is there any public support for WTRs? We conducted a two-round survey among Swiss stakeholder groups (N = 51/28) to identify what effects they believe WTRs have, and what measures to implement WTRs they would be most likely to support. Stakeholders perceived WTRs to have several beneficial social and economic effects, including effects that are relevant for a transition to a post-growth society. However, they did not assume that ecological effects occur. Measures voluntarily implemented on an organisational level by businesses were more popular than those implemented on a national policy or social partnership level. Certain incremental measures and/or those that are merely conducive to WTRs were uncontested. Other more direct and extensive measures were predominantly supported, but not uncontested.","PeriodicalId":49073,"journal":{"name":"Gaia-Ecological Perspectives for Science and Society","volume":"80 5","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-10-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"136234671","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Wasser als lebenswichtige Ressource und bedeutendes kulturell-symbolisches Gut ist ein zentrales Thema der Humanökologie. Die diesjährige Jahrestagung der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Humanökologie war diesen unterschiedlichen Dimensionen gewidmet, sodass nicht nur Ressourcenfragen im engeren Sinn behandelt, sondern auch künstlerische Zugänge dargestellt wurden.
{"title":"DGH-Jahrestagung 2023 zum Thema <i>Wasser</i>","authors":"Karl-Heinz Simon","doi":"10.14512/gaia.32.3.11","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.14512/gaia.32.3.11","url":null,"abstract":"Wasser als lebenswichtige Ressource und bedeutendes kulturell-symbolisches Gut ist ein zentrales Thema der Humanökologie. Die diesjährige Jahrestagung der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Humanökologie war diesen unterschiedlichen Dimensionen gewidmet, sodass nicht nur Ressourcenfragen im engeren Sinn behandelt, sondern auch künstlerische Zugänge dargestellt wurden.","PeriodicalId":49073,"journal":{"name":"Gaia-Ecological Perspectives for Science and Society","volume":"51 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-10-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"136234661","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"<b>12 Questions to</b> Marco Armiero","authors":"Marco Armiero","doi":"10.14512/gaia.32.3.2","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.14512/gaia.32.3.2","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":49073,"journal":{"name":"Gaia-Ecological Perspectives for Science and Society","volume":"176 6","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-10-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"136234667","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
How to promote sustainable practices and practical learning at universities? The course Design Thinking Challenges at the University of Graz, initiated by students, incorporated student-centered pedagogies like experimental learning and critical reflection. The goal was to empower students to address sustainability issues, foster collaborative learning, and develop problem-solving skills. The article offers a personal perspective on the experience of implementing the course, and shares achievements, challenges, and recommendations.
{"title":"Sustainable innovations by design thinking: An experiential learning course implemented by students","authors":"Magdalena Rusch","doi":"10.14512/gaia.32.3.12","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.14512/gaia.32.3.12","url":null,"abstract":"How to promote sustainable practices and practical learning at universities? The course Design Thinking Challenges at the University of Graz, initiated by students, incorporated student-centered pedagogies like experimental learning and critical reflection. The goal was to empower students to address sustainability issues, foster collaborative learning, and develop problem-solving skills. The article offers a personal perspective on the experience of implementing the course, and shares achievements, challenges, and recommendations.","PeriodicalId":49073,"journal":{"name":"Gaia-Ecological Perspectives for Science and Society","volume":"291 10","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-10-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"136234842","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Valerija Gottselig, Amelie Wuppermann, C. Herrmann
Sustainable nutrition is becoming increasingly relevant in society. This empirical study suggests that green nudges can encourage consumers to buy food that has an ecology or animal welfare label.This paper analyzes whether green nudges ‐ displaying nature pictures or providing information on other people’s behavior before the consumer makes a choice ‐ can promote more environmentally friendly food choices. Based on data from an online, discrete choice experiment conducted in Germany, in which randomly selected groups of participants were shown either one of the nudges (treatment groups) or no nudge (control group), the study finds that green nudges increase individuals’ willingness to pay more for products that have ecology and animal welfare labels. However, consumers in one of the treatment groups were willing to pay more for meat rather than the meat alternative, indicating that nudges can have an effect opposite from that intended. Future research should investigate the impact of these relatively cheap interventions with a representative sample and in a field setting.
{"title":"Effects of green nudges on consumer valuation of sustainable food: A discrete choice experiment","authors":"Valerija Gottselig, Amelie Wuppermann, C. Herrmann","doi":"10.14512/gaia.32.2.6","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.14512/gaia.32.2.6","url":null,"abstract":"Sustainable nutrition is becoming increasingly relevant in society. This empirical study suggests that green nudges can encourage consumers to buy food that has an ecology or animal welfare label.This paper analyzes whether green nudges ‐ displaying nature pictures or providing\u0000 information on other people’s behavior before the consumer makes a choice ‐ can promote more environmentally friendly food choices. Based on data from an online, discrete choice experiment conducted in Germany, in which randomly selected groups of participants were shown either\u0000 one of the nudges (treatment groups) or no nudge (control group), the study finds that green nudges increase individuals’ willingness to pay more for products that have ecology and animal welfare labels. However, consumers in one of the treatment groups were willing to pay more for meat\u0000 rather than the meat alternative, indicating that nudges can have an effect opposite from that intended. Future research should investigate the impact of these relatively cheap interventions with a representative sample and in a field setting.","PeriodicalId":49073,"journal":{"name":"Gaia-Ecological Perspectives for Science and Society","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2023-07-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47932664","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"12 Fragen an Angelika Hilbeck","authors":"Angelika Hilbeck","doi":"10.14512/gaia.32.2.2","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.14512/gaia.32.2.2","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":49073,"journal":{"name":"Gaia-Ecological Perspectives for Science and Society","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2023-07-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42761541","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Jonathan Friedrich, Jana Holz, Philip Koch, Lilian Pungas, Dennis Eversberg, J. Zscheischler
Bioeconomy policies claim to contribute to socio-ecological transformations and decreasing rural-urban inequalities. Based on examples of four bioeconomies in rural Europe, we argue that contrary to these claims, such policies to date have not de-escalated existing social conflicts but instead have often further contributed to polarization tendencies. To live up to those proclaimed goals, bioeconomy research and policy need to deprioritize economic growth and turn to more comprehensive considerations of socio-ecological contexts and the integration of the local population and alternative practices.
{"title":"Rural bioeconomies in Europe: Socio-ecological conflicts, marginalized people and practices","authors":"Jonathan Friedrich, Jana Holz, Philip Koch, Lilian Pungas, Dennis Eversberg, J. Zscheischler","doi":"10.14512/gaia.32.2.3","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.14512/gaia.32.2.3","url":null,"abstract":"Bioeconomy policies claim to contribute to socio-ecological transformations and decreasing rural-urban inequalities. Based on examples of four bioeconomies in rural Europe, we argue that contrary to these claims, such policies to date have not de-escalated existing social conflicts\u0000 but instead have often further contributed to polarization tendencies. To live up to those proclaimed goals, bioeconomy research and policy need to deprioritize economic growth and turn to more comprehensive considerations of socio-ecological contexts and the integration of the local population\u0000 and alternative practices.","PeriodicalId":49073,"journal":{"name":"Gaia-Ecological Perspectives for Science and Society","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2023-07-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43310865","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Die Corona-Pandemie hat vor Augen geführt, dass die inter- und transdisziplinäre Wissensproduktion verbessert werden muss. Es braucht eine ganzheitliche systemische Perspektive, die ,,den individuellen Menschen“ wieder ins Zentrum rückt. In sechs Thesen wird aus humanökologischer Perspektive formuliert, wie die Pandemieforschung neu auszurichten ist. Diese Thesen sind Resultat von Meetings und Publikationen, geleitet von Felix Tretter, die sich aus wissenschaftsphilosophischer Perspektive mit der Methodik der Wissensproduktion der medizinischen Corona-Wissenschaft befassten.
{"title":"Humanökologische Thesen für eine Wende in der Pandemieforschung: Eine personzentrierte, ökosystemische Gesundheitsforschung und -praxis ist nötig!","authors":"F. Tretter, K. Simon","doi":"10.14512/gaia.32.2.11","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.14512/gaia.32.2.11","url":null,"abstract":"Die Corona-Pandemie hat vor Augen geführt, dass die inter- und transdisziplinäre Wissensproduktion verbessert werden muss. Es braucht eine ganzheitliche systemische Perspektive, die ,,den individuellen Menschen“ wieder ins Zentrum rückt. In sechs Thesen wird aus\u0000 humanökologischer Perspektive formuliert, wie die Pandemieforschung neu auszurichten ist. Diese Thesen sind Resultat von Meetings und Publikationen, geleitet von Felix Tretter, die sich aus wissenschaftsphilosophischer Perspektive mit der Methodik der Wissensproduktion der medizinischen\u0000 Corona-Wissenschaft befassten.","PeriodicalId":49073,"journal":{"name":"Gaia-Ecological Perspectives for Science and Society","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2023-07-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"45668964","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
C. Hartwig, V. Graf, Maria Filipschack, Katharina Krüth, Benjamin Nölting, S. Raich, Ilka Roose
In strukturschwachen ländlichen Regionen die nachhaltige Entwicklung und Digitalisierung durch Transferprojekte zu unterstützen und gemeinsam mit regionalen Akteuren weiterzuentwickeln ‐ das ist das Ziel des Verbundvorhabens InNoWest ‐ Einfach machen! Gemeinsam nachhaltig und digital in Nord-West-Brandenburg. Wir stellen das Projekt vor.
{"title":"InNoWest stärkt nachhaltige Entwicklung und Digitalisierung in Nord-West-Brandenburg","authors":"C. Hartwig, V. Graf, Maria Filipschack, Katharina Krüth, Benjamin Nölting, S. Raich, Ilka Roose","doi":"10.14512/gaia.32.2.12","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.14512/gaia.32.2.12","url":null,"abstract":"In strukturschwachen ländlichen Regionen die nachhaltige Entwicklung und Digitalisierung durch Transferprojekte zu unterstützen und gemeinsam mit regionalen Akteuren weiterzuentwickeln ‐ das ist das Ziel des Verbundvorhabens InNoWest ‐ Einfach machen! Gemeinsam\u0000 nachhaltig und digital in Nord-West-Brandenburg. Wir stellen das Projekt vor.","PeriodicalId":49073,"journal":{"name":"Gaia-Ecological Perspectives for Science and Society","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2023-07-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42723115","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
German retailers commit to promoting a circular economy (CE) to tackle the plastic crisis. Their strategies and perspectives on the role of consumers are qualitatively analyzed based on sustainability reports and press releases. Strategies include means of reduction and reuse but focus on recycling. Consumers are rather seen as barriers to realizing a CE.Environmental pollution caused by single-use plastic packaging waste is one of the major problems of our time. As a means of tackling environmental damage from plastic, many companies are voluntarily committing to promoting a sustainable use of plastic and the idea of a circular economy (CE). Among these companies, retailers play an interesting role. They are the point of sale of different manufacturers’ products and, thus, are in direct contact with consumers. This paper qualitatively analyzes retailers’ plastic strategies as published in sustainability reports and press releases. In particular, their understanding of the concept of a CE, their perspective on the CE-related role of consumers, and the consistency of their objectives regarding CE goals are investigated. The results indicate that there is a strong focus on recycling, although the retailers also consider means of reduction by avoidance and reuse. Consumers are rather seen as a barrier to implementing a circular economy at all three levels (reduction, reuse, recycling) and are assumed to need waste management education.
{"title":"Plastic packaging: Are German retailers on the way towards a circular economy? Companies’ strategies and perspectives on consumers","authors":"Katharina Friederike Sträter, Sebastian Rhein","doi":"10.14512/gaia.32.2.7","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.14512/gaia.32.2.7","url":null,"abstract":"German retailers commit to promoting a circular economy (CE) to tackle the plastic crisis. Their strategies and perspectives on the role of consumers are qualitatively analyzed based on sustainability reports and press releases. Strategies include means of reduction and reuse but focus\u0000 on recycling. Consumers are rather seen as barriers to realizing a CE.Environmental pollution caused by single-use plastic packaging waste is one of the major problems of our time. As a means of tackling environmental damage from plastic, many companies are voluntarily committing to promoting\u0000 a sustainable use of plastic and the idea of a circular economy (CE). Among these companies, retailers play an interesting role. They are the point of sale of different manufacturers’ products and, thus, are in direct contact with consumers. This paper qualitatively analyzes retailers’\u0000 plastic strategies as published in sustainability reports and press releases. In particular, their understanding of the concept of a CE, their perspective on the CE-related role of consumers, and the consistency of their objectives regarding CE goals are investigated. The results indicate\u0000 that there is a strong focus on recycling, although the retailers also consider means of reduction by avoidance and reuse. Consumers are rather seen as a barrier to implementing a circular economy at all three levels (reduction, reuse, recycling) and are assumed to need waste management education.","PeriodicalId":49073,"journal":{"name":"Gaia-Ecological Perspectives for Science and Society","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2023-07-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"46450097","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}