Social experiments in sustainable consumption: An evidence-based approach with potential for engaging low-income communities

Hargreaves, Tom, Nye, Michael and Burgess, Jacquelin (2008) Social experiments in sustainable consumption: An evidence-based approach with potential for engaging low-income communities. Local Environment, 13 (8). pp. 743-758. ISSN 1469-6711

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Abstract

This paper considers the potential of Global Action Plan UK's (GAP) facilitated team-based approach to changing consumption practices for working with low-income communities. It outlines the two dominant approaches for encouraging sustainable consumption in UK policy: attitude-behaviour connection models (A-Bc) and consumer motivation theories. It then contrasts these with GAP's group-based approach and presents quantitative evidence for its effectiveness in reducing waste and electricity consumption. We suggest that three features of GAP's approach (i) measurement and feedback, (ii) contextualised knowledge production, and (iii) a supportive social context are critical to its success because they enable individuals to expose their taken-for-granted routines and behaviours to reflexive scrutiny in a trusted community. We argue that these factors make GAP's approach sensitive to the needs of low-income communities, but that such innovative social experiments require more support to build on their experiences, expand in size, and maintain a focus on both sustainable consumption and inequality.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	sdg 7 - affordable and clean energy ,/dk/atira/pure/sustainabledevelopmentgoals/affordable_and_clean_energy
Faculty \ School:	Faculty of Science > School of Environmental Sciences University of East Anglia Research Groups/Centres > Theme - ClimateUEA
UEA Research Groups:	Faculty of Science > Research Centres > Centre for Social and Economic Research on the Global Environment (CSERGE) Faculty of Science > Research Groups > Centre for Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences Faculty of Science > Research Groups > Resources, Sustainability and Governance (former - to 2018) Faculty of Science > Research Groups > Climate, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences (former - to 2017) Faculty of Science > Research Groups > Environmental Social Sciences
Depositing User:	Rosie Cullington
Date Deposited:	25 Feb 2011 11:31
Last Modified:	07 Feb 2025 09:30
URI:	https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/24657
DOI:	10.1080/13549830802475666

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