With all that talk about what actually drives consumer choice and so on, I find that a lot of it is peer pressure (as someone pointed out in the seminar today) or as I would more broadly call it: the social norms.
I found the second required article for this weeks reading really touches base on some of the key issues linked to the pressure of social norms. "Often ethical consumers have other friends like them or have an environmentally friendly job. Thus lessening the impact of social barriers to green consumption [...] Even when consumers have overcome social stigma and knowledge deficiencies, it is still remarkably difficult to be a green consumer with any consistency. Whilst some forms of environmentally friendly practises are now fairly well established and workable - buying organic, recycling - to attempt to live a green lifestyle across different spaces and social contexts is almost impossible".
I find I am a very different consumer when I am studying at university and living with like-minded, environmentally friendly people as opposed to when I return home. I feel I need to make compromises at home because my family is not ready to make the same lifestyle changes; a big issue being for example eating vegetarian food. THis comes up especially during traditional family gathering festivities as you can well imagine. Another one (and I realise this may come as a shock even to some of you) is flushing the toilet down only after n2. But this has all to do with social norms that we have set, at a very young age you are told to flush the toilet ALL the time, it's seen as extremely inpolite not to do so and furthermore a sign that you are not being well educated. And so on and so forth.
As stated in the article, I feel limited "as [I] have to negotiate different values and social identities in different spaces". All this to say that for me, social norms are really the crux of the problem and we need to find a way to change them.
Monday, October 18, 2010
Thursday, October 7, 2010
"How big brands can help save biodiversity"
TED talk by Jason clay - "How big brands can help save biodiversity:
http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/jason_clay_how_big_brands_can_save_biodiversity.html
I find particularly interesting his reasoning on the fact that it is easier and much faster to directly work with companies instead of with the consumers while trying to move to more sustainability. It definitely seems more effective than trying to inform consumers to the point that they will be motivated to act upon their awareness of environmental issues. I would also tend to agree with his vision that sustainability needs to be a "precompetitive issue"; in that way the consumer will only be left with the right choice to make!
In a similar way, at my previous university I was involved in trying to ban disposable cups from the cafeterias and thus force people to bring their personal reusable mugs which they had been offered by the university as a welcome gift. We were only able to compromise on a discount incentive but I felt that our goal of reducing waste production on the campus would have been so much efficient had there been a ban.
I don't know about you, but I found the talk pretty uplifting, especially when he dresses out his group's achievements. I know some people might be cynical about it and say that the companies have just signed a paper and they actually act upon it, but I prefer to be optimistic!
I find particularly interesting his reasoning on the fact that it is easier and much faster to directly work with companies instead of with the consumers while trying to move to more sustainability. It definitely seems more effective than trying to inform consumers to the point that they will be motivated to act upon their awareness of environmental issues. I would also tend to agree with his vision that sustainability needs to be a "precompetitive issue"; in that way the consumer will only be left with the right choice to make!
In a similar way, at my previous university I was involved in trying to ban disposable cups from the cafeterias and thus force people to bring their personal reusable mugs which they had been offered by the university as a welcome gift. We were only able to compromise on a discount incentive but I felt that our goal of reducing waste production on the campus would have been so much efficient had there been a ban.
I don't know about you, but I found the talk pretty uplifting, especially when he dresses out his group's achievements. I know some people might be cynical about it and say that the companies have just signed a paper and they actually act upon it, but I prefer to be optimistic!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)