Sustainable Lifestyles- Context, Practice and Policy: Resolve Seminar
Posted in Research by Kate Archdeacon on May 12th, 2010
Source: Food Climate Research Network
Image: periwinklekog via flickr CC
“…the breadth of environmental issues such as climate change can often lead to conflict between different forms of environmental practice (such as travel behaviours, waste management and energy conservation) in different social contexts (e.g. within and beyond the ‘home’ environments).”
–
Encouraging environmentally responsible and ‘low carbon’ lifestyles is now a centre-piece of UK policy for sustainable development (DEFRA, 2005). DEFRA’s current Framework for Environmental Behaviours (DEFRA, 2008) has embedded a social marketing approach towards behaviour change in which segmentation plays a key role in identifying and targeting population groups with specific characteristics. Using data collected from several research projects exploring environmental behaviour in both home-based and tourism contexts, this presentation will argue that whilst segmentation may have a valuable role to play in understanding and promoting specific behaviours in particular contexts, the breadth of environmental issues such as climate change can often lead to conflict between different forms of environmental practice (such as travel behaviours, waste management and energy conservation) in different social contexts (e.g. within and beyond the ‘home’ environments).
Stewart Barr is Senior Lecturer and head of the Climate Change and Sustainability Research Group at the University of Exeter’s School of Geography. His research is focused on the intellectual and policy debates surrounding the understanding and promotion of environmentally responsible behaviour. His research has been funded by a number of organisations, including the Economic and Social Research Council, DEFRA, British Academy and the Leverhulme Trust. His current research is focused on understanding sustainable travel behaviour, alongside long-term interests in waste management and recycling, energy use and water conservation.
Wednesday 19 May, 2010, 1300-1400, 45b AZ 04, University of Surrey, UK
For more information contact Gemma Cook, RESOLVE coordinator on 01483 686689 or g.cook@surrey.ac.uk
—
