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Based on a mixed qualitative-quantitative method, this study explores consumer participation in the circular economy (CE) in France. A comprehensive framework of circular consumption helps understanding how circular consumption practices are performed. Qualitative findings reveal that formal schemes backed by Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) regulation engage consumer in circular fostering consumption. However, quantitative results highlight that circular consumption in second hand circulation also follow informal paths, and can involve consumption slackening through repair and care for products. The study suggests to promote circular practices beyond formal schemes, consider incentives for secondhand purchases, and foster a culture of repair. Leveraging these opportunities can contribute to a comprehensive transition towards a circular economy in France. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Single-use plastic (SUP) waste is one of the world's major problems, particularly if it continues to escape into the ocean unchecked; it will become the leading contributor to ocean pollution. Preventing plastic waste at its source has proven to be the most effective solution to the problem. This study explores a variety of factors that may contribute to SUP consumption and reduction behaviour in a convenient sample of residents living in Hoi An, a tourist coastal city in Vietnam. Using a cross-sectional design, the study reached 150 Vietnamese respondents between June and September 2022. The results revealed that subjective knowledge about plastics and plastic wastes (b = 0.391) and perceived strictness of legal consequences of inappropriate plastic disposal (b = -0.642) were two significant predictors of SUP reduction, while perceived cost advantage of plastics (b = 0.390) was the only predictor of SUP consumption. This study also found that the mean reported level of plastic consumption varied across three different parts of Hoi An City, with the residents of Cham Island (an area with active environmental action programmes) consuming significantly fewer SUP products compared to those living in urban and suburban areas. A model of motivation to reduce plastic waste was finally discussed. In conclusion, besides the traditional approach of raising public knowledge on the plastic problem, it is suggested that imposing strict penalties for inappropriate disposal and increasing the price of SUP plastics may be the most effective ways to reduce SUP plastic waste at its sources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sweden has a policy goal of solving major environmental problems in Sweden within a generation, without increasing environmental or health problems in other countries. Following up this goal requires indicators for domestic and external footprints of Swedish consumption. This paper presents such macro-level indicators for the years 2008–2014. The new indicators are consistent with Swedish statistics from the System of Environmental-Economic Accounts. They combine a multi-regional input-output (MRIO) database, to capture the external components of Sweden's consumption, with national input-output, trade and environmental statistics. The hybrid MRIO-Sweden model provides a comprehensive environmental account for follow-up of the Generational Goal. This paper presents impacts from household consumption, government consumption and capital formation, covering emissions of greenhouse gases, sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and particulate matter smaller than 2.5 μm (PM2.5), land use, materials consumption, and blue water consumption. Except for land use, the majority (60% or more) of the environmental pressures due to consumption occurred outside Sweden in 2014; more than 90% of sulphur emissions and more than 80% of the water use fell abroad. The environmental pressures from consumption decreased over this period for all indicators (except materials consumption). This suggests an absolute decoupling between environmental pressure due to consumption and economic growth, which rose over the period. It is, however, too early to determine whether this is a genuine trend or a temporary stabilisation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the global environmental impacts of local consumption is an area of growing interest among policymakers and consumers. By knowing what products comprise urban consumption "hotspots," municipalities and consumers alike could take deliberate actions to target and discourage consumption of high-impact products. In this paper, a new method for identifying environmental hotspots of consumption is presented. The main methodological advances are the following: i) material flow analysis of urban areas and life cycle assessment are combined; ii) a 16-year time-series of urban consumption data is used for selection of the most suitable representative products and for trend analysis; iii) representative products are selected systematically from consumption data of 1000 product types; iv) representative products are scaled up to represent consumption of the product groups; v) hotspots are identified by simultaneously evaluating six environmental impacts - acidification, climate change, eutrophication (marine and freshwater), photochemical ozone formation, and resource use; vi) for the case study, hotspots are connected to the city's profiles. The method was applied to the Swedish cities Stockholm, Gothenburg and Malmo and to Sweden in total. Electronics is a hotspot for all the studied areas and all the studied impacts and should be a prioritized product group for action. Fuel is a hotspot shared by all the areas while vehicles is a hotspot in Gothenburg. Meat is a nationwide hotspot, but not for the cities investigated. Gothenburg and Stockholm could collaborate to find effective measures for their common hotspot machinery. Thus, the method can be used to identify hotspots and find which product types could be part of national versus local programs. • Combined MFA-LCA environmental impact analysis of urban consumption. • Region-specific analysis to identify need for local consumption reduction efforts. • Some common but also different hotspots were identified for the studied areas. • Method enables assessment of multiple environmental impacts simultaneously. • Time series of consumption data allows for trend analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Sustainable Consumption and Production is one of the leading principle towards reducing environmental impacts globally. This study aims at combining Environmentally-Extended Input-Output Analysis (using EXIOBASE 3) with up-to-date impact assessment models to quantify the environmental impacts induced by final consumption in the EU Member States in 2011. The environmental extensions are characterized in 14 environmental impact categories out of the 16 used in the Environmental Footprint life cycle impact assessment method. A contribution analysis of key products and services as well as emissions and resources, which drive the environmental impacts of EU consumption, is conducted. Environmental impacts are mainly induced along the supply-chain of products and services. Several expenditures relative to services represent large shares both in the total final consumption and in the 14 impacts under study, despite a relatively low impact intensity. Food products, in particular meat and dairy products, are identified as key contributors regarding acidification, eutrophication, land use, and water use, and to a lower extent climate change. Finally, several manufactured products, raw materials and basic products respectively importantly contribute to impacts on human toxicity, freshwater ecotoxicity and resource uses. The total volume of final consumption expenditures per EU Member State appears a key explanatory variable to most of the impacts embodied in their consumption, yet to a lower extent regarding water use and fossils resource use. Finally, the current limitations in using EXIOBASE 3 for environmental impact assessment are discussed, with specific attention to EXIOBASE environmental extensions and to the case study on EU consumption. Since the classification of emissions and resources for impact assessment requires a number of assumptions that may influence the results, a sensitivity analysis is performed to exemplify some of the key issues relative to the characterization of impacts based on EXIOBASE environmental extensions. Highlights • Environmental impacts induced by final consumption in EU28 in 2011 are assessed. • Environmental extensions are characterized in 14 environmental impact categories following the Environmental Footprint method. • Contribution of key products and services and key emissions and resources is analyzed. • The total volume of consumption per EU Member State is a key explanatory variable. • Current limitations in using EXIOBASE 3 for environmental impact assessment are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Although household food waste has been scrutinized from various angles, less attention has been paid to rural areas viewed through the prism of everyday life. The purpose of this study is to investigate household food wasting in rural environment in West Bohemia, Czech Republic. This case study combines waste composition analysis of household waste and ethnographic research in a village conducted throughout 2013 and 2014. We describe the nature of waste itself, estimate its financial value using a method combining direct data from wasted packaging and retail survey, explore the differences among the households, interpret local understanding of food, and contribute to the theoretical debates concerning thrift. Our results show low degree of wasting of edible food (7.9 kg corresponding to 13.5 EUR per capita per year) but high variation among the households. Instead of searching for a single-causal explanation we explore a complex set of factors and relationships that shape everyday food-related practices. We approach the local discard practices via the concept of thrift and argue that it should be understood as a multi-dimensional domain that includes economizing via self-denial or creative management of resources, moral discourse entangled with care or responsibility, and social relations that shape the flows of value. Graphical abstract Image 10789 Highlights • Rural food wasting was studied via waste composition analysis and ethnography. • Average rural household in this sample wasted 10% of European average. • Price estimate for edible food waste yielded 14 EUR per capita per year. • Thrift reduces food wasting. • Experience with growing plants and raising animals affects food wasting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Consumption of goods and services is a complex phenomenon at the root of environmental problems, but it is still often framed in terms of individual behaviour, which can be related to a lack of wide cross-disciplinary explanations for consumption. To contribute to filling this gap, we conducted a literature review across ten disciplines. We provide a cross-disciplinary overview of what influences consumption, juxtaposing dominant with less-heard explanations for consumption and adding cross-disciplinary evidence to counter the view of consumption as a chiefly individual phenomenon. The resulting conceptual framework depicts consumption as influenced by three levels that undergo historical transformations: the micro level of consumers, purposes and products; the meso level of the direct context in which consumption takes place; and the macro level of societal contexts and agents. Future research should investigate which kinds of interactions between levels, agents and contexts can lead to minimising social and environmental impacts of consumption. Highlights • Contrasting explanations for consumption from ten different disciplines. • New cross-disciplinary theoretical framework on what influences consumption. • Cross-disciplinary evidence for a systemic depiction of consumption. • Emphasising that many contexts and agents, beyond consumers, influence consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The purpose of this article is to identify factors influencing the Australian general public’s consumption and anti-consumption decisions about recycled water from user generated content. User generated content in the form of extensive online reviews provided on popular national newspaper sites by the Australian general public (n = 250) was analysed. Qualitative data analysis software NVivo 11 was used to identify factors influencing consumption and anti-consumption of recycled water and to understand whether or not the users’ perceptions towards consumption and anti-consumption of recycled water is related to user well-being. The results obtained highlight three macro categories such as water shortages, anti-consumption of recycled water, and consumption of recycled water on the basis of thematic relevance and conceptual coherence. Water shortages (93.2%) experienced within the context is identified as an antecedent leading to consumption and/or anti-consumption related decisions by the public about recycled water. Users’ anti-consumption decisions (97.2%) about recycled water are linked to well-being perceptions. The four well-being dimensions identified as micro categories in this study that influence users’ anti-consumption of recycled water are financial, physical, psychological and social dimensions. Users’ decision to consume recycled water (47.2%) relates to micro categories such as acceptance of recycled water, users’ knowledge of available alternatives to recycled water, users’ understanding of recycled water and users’ awareness of alternative solutions that could reduce the general public’s negative perceptions about direct consumption of recycled water. The findings obtained from this study are useful to the Australian context and other international contexts where extreme climate conditions result in water shortages and the general public seems to be reluctant to accept alternative water sources. Highlights • Research explores consumption and anti-consumption decisions of recycled water. • The experience of water shortages and well-being perspectives are also explored. • Macro and micro categories based upon conceptual coherence are identified. • The findings provide important implications for several stakeholders in Australia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract This paper presents an analysis on the environmental habits of university students in three countries: Spain, Brazil and United Arab Emirates (UAE). We tested three hypotheses: The first is that sustainability indicators will be higher for students of environmental related degrees than for those of other disciplines, as the former should have greater interest in environmental issues. The second hypothesis stated that sustainability habits of students from environmental majors will be higher for those in upper level courses than for those in lower level courses, as they would be better informed about ecological problems and the importance to act. The final hypothesis was that sustainability practices will be higher for students with higher environmental concern. Other potential drivers of sustainability habits such as gender and country were analyzed as well. The study was based on questionnaire results from a sample of 1011 students from three public universities, one in each country. The survey included students' self-ranking frequency for 25 sustainability habits, using a Likert scale (1–5). Three indicators were defined to measure differences in students' environmental behavior: 1) the sum of values for all 25 sampled sustainability habits, 2) a two-group sustainability classification of students, based on a multivariate cluster analysis, and 3) the self-perception of students' consumerism, as defined by the proportion of their ordinary purchases that they considered as basic needs. Non-parametric tests were used to assess the statistical significance for the different tested hypotheses. Results showed that the field of study and the self-perceived environmental commitment were significantly associated with students' sustainability habits in two out of the three indicators, while the year of study for environmental students was not found significant in any of them. None of the three explicative factors, field of study, year of study, or environmental concern were significantly associated with students' self-perceived consumerism. Country differences were statistically insignificant, whereas gender differences demonstrated higher sustainability values for females in 2 out of the 3 indicators in Brazil and Spain, but it was not significant for Emirati students. The irrelevant influence of year of study for students of environment-related disciplines conveys an interesting debate on whether current environmental university education should not only impact knowledge but also students' sustainable mentality and practical behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

How do we design policies that support a shift in eating habits towards a diet that includes more vegetable-based products and less meat, and in particular red meat? To inform policy, more information is needed about consumers' perceptions of the plant-based protein alternatives that have become available on the market. The present study of 1000 Danish consumers examined oat drink and plant-based mince as substitutes for cows' milk and minced beef. While the popularity of these is increasing, in 2021 70% of Danish consumers had nonetheless never tried using oat drink or plant-based mince. Respondents who stated that they often bought organic food were more likely to associate the plant-based products with benefits as well as being more likely to have tried using the plant-based products. While plant-based products were associated mainly with public good characteristics, it was private good characteristics that explained consumption of the products. Therefore, improving taste – or changing people's expectations about it – and reducing price are ways to reduce barriers to consumption. Initiatives to improve public understanding of the ways in which plant-based and animal-based products differ are also important, as many respondents were somewhat unclear about which characteristics they associated with the two products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fashion is one of the elements contributing to human phenomena such as self-concept, social interaction, and cross-cultural communication. Despite the significance of this reality however the link between the consumption of fashion and its lack of sustainability in relation to natural resources is one of ongoing concern. To investigate how large-scale changes in consumption can be encouraged, this paper explores the theoretical potential of dance as a replacement for the emotive person-product relationship related to the fast rate of fashion consumption, an exchange that would not disable essential functions such as expressive self-concept, social interaction, and cross-cultural communication. By refocusing the means of self-expression from material products to gestures and movement, dance and dance/movement therapy can help individuals resist the impulsive and compulsive consumption promoted by the fashion industry. This study identifies a potential for dance and dance movement therapy to reduce an individual's dependence on material goods for self-expression. Further research is needed to develop and evaluate practical implementation of place, scale, and longevity. In addition, research methods need to be developed to evaluate the effectiveness of different dance methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Meeting the commitments made in the Paris Agreement on climate change will require different approaches in different countries. However, a common feature in many contexts relates to the continued and sometimes increasing significance of the carbon footprints of urban centres. These footprints consider both production or territorial (i.e. Scope 1 and 2) emissions, and consumption or extra-territorial (i.e. Scope 3) emissions. Although a growing number of cities have adopted targets for their production-based emissions, very few have even started to analyse or address their consumption-based emissions. This presents a potential challenge for urban policymaking if consumption emissions rise while production emissions fall, and for climate mitigation more broadly if emissions are effectively migrating to areas without carbon reduction targets or capabilities. To explore these issues, in this paper we analyse and compare production- and consumption-based emissions accounts for urban centres in China, the UK and the US. Results show that per-capita income and population density are strong predictors of consumption-based emissions levels, and consumption-based emissions appear to diminish but not decouple with higher per-capita incomes. In addition, results show that per-capita income is a predictor of net emissions - or the difference between production- and consumption-based accounts - suggesting that continuing increases in per capita income levels may drive the ‘leakage’ of urban emissions. These findings highlight a risk in placing too much faith in city-level climate strategies focused only on production-based emissions, and stress the importance of new city-level initiatives that focus on consumption-based emissions, especially in cities that are shifting from producer to consumer city status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

International trade has accelerated the trend of globalization, giving consumers and countries the opportunity to reach new markets and products. However, it also brought negative externalities in the forms of pollution and environmental degradation. Plus, the large amounts of resource flows among different countries may aggravate resource depletion. Thus, it is necessary to uncover the embodied resource flows and corresponding environmental impacts so that sustainable trade policies can be raised. Under such a circumstance, this paper accounts environmental and resources footprints embodied in the China-EU trade for the year of 2008 by employing a multi-regional input-output model, including both the global and sectoral environmental and resource footprints which caused by the trade between China and the EU-27 countries. Research results show that from the global footprints perspective, the total environmental footprints of China and EU countries are 4.73 Gt and 4.53 Gt in 2008, respectively. The total resource footprints of China are 8.19E+07 TJ of energy, 0.66 Bha of land, 14.5 Gt of materials, and 1.47 Tm 3 of water, while such figures for EU countries are 1.17E+08 TJ of energy, 0.66 Bha of land, 12.1 Gt of materials, and 1.26 Tm 3 of water, respectively. The transfer trend of environmental and resources footprints between China and EU was also analyzed, indicating that EU countries caused 8.21 times of emission footprint than China's, and China provided 6.25 times of energy footprint, 16.76 times of land footprint, 12.26 times of material footprint, and 17.38 times of water footprint for EU countries' final consumption. In addition, the sectoral footprints between China and the five selected EU countries were analyzed. Finally, policy implications from environmental and resources management perspectives are proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

International trade separates the consumption of goods and services from their production as well as human health impacts associated with production-based environmental emissions. It is one of the drivers of fine particulate matter (PM 2.5 ), particles <2.5 μm diameter, which is a leading environmental health risk factor associated with several adverse effects on human health, but its importance is not fully characterized. This study quantifies global economic output and PM 2.5 -related human health impacts caused by the consumption of 189 nations. The results show that in 2010, 23% of global economic output and 26% of global PM 2.5 -related human health impacts (4.1 million DALY, disability-adjusted life year losses) were caused by the production induced by other nations. Developed nations (e.g., the U.S., Japan, and Germany) outsource not only economic production but also PM 2.5 -related human health impacts (14%) to Asia (e.g., China and India). An average North American consumer induced nearly as much economic output in Asia as an average Asian consumer. North American consumers induced 596 thousand DALY in Asia in 2010, while Asian consumers induced only 19 thousand DALY in North America. International joint efforts between developed nations and Asia are important to effectively reduce global PM 2.5 -related human health impacts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Decarbonisation of stationary energy supply, particularly electricity grids, is the current focus of climate change mitigation policy. However, studies have suggested that this narrow policy focus is insufficient to achieve meaningful global emissions reductions. Using Iceland as a case study, this paper demonstrates that significant emissions arise from transport and imported products, which are often not fully captured in territorial GHG inventories. This results in high greenhouse gas emissions per capita regardless of the nation's domestic energy supply. The result is a low carbon illusion in which rich economies believe they are reducing their GHG responsibility whilst global emissions continue to grow. This paper presents the first consumption-based carbon footprint (CBCF) analysis for Iceland, a nation where the stationary energy supply is 99% renewable, and could be viewed as a decarbonisation ‘future case’ for rich nations globally. The study combines Icelandic household expenditure data with the Multi-Regional Input-Output database Eora to calculate the CBCF of Icelandic households. The average annual CBCF of Icelandic households was 10.4 tCO 2 eq/capita, similar in magnitude to other EU nations despite Iceland's unique energy supply. GHG emissions from transport, food and goods dominated the household CBCF. The national CBCF was higher than most European nations and 55% higher than the territorial emissions inventory. Approximately 71% of household emissions were attributed to imported goods, which were mapped globally revealing that the GHG emissions burden of Icelandic consumption falls primarily on developing nations. The findings suggest that a broader GHG accounting framework and resulting policy focus is required, both in Iceland and globally, that incorporates both supply and demand-based GHG reduction strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A better understanding of how smartphones and tablets are managed at the end of their life cycle is needed to achieve higher recycling and reuse rates. The goals of this study were to obtain the current consumption (acquisition and use) and recycling behavior of consumers with respect to smartphones and tablets from an exploratory online survey implemented in Portugal, and to identify the sociodemographic factors that influence the consumption and recycling behaviors related to these types of device. The survey reveals that smartphones and tablets had a mean life of use of three years. Smartphones were bought mainly in stores, and tablets were bought in stores or were received as gifts from friends or family. Concerning device use, respondents reported an average of 3.34 smartphones per person, including those in use, used, or broken, with the majority in use. An average of 1.06 tablets were in use, used, or broken per person, also with the majority in use. A Chi-square analysis showed a statistically significant relationship between all the tested sociodemographic variables, and gender, family size, and occupation were the variables most closely related to consumption and recycling behaviors. Of note, apart from their opinions on the importance of recycling, consumers’ attitudes were dedicated mostly to reuse actions, such as keeping the devices in the home or giving them to a relative or friend to use. To increase collection and recycling rates, environmental awareness campaigns are needed to increase consumers’ knowledge of existing collection and recycling programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effectiveness of sustainable product and service innovations is often restricted by limited market acceptance or unexpected consumption patterns. The latter includes rebound effects, which occur when resources liberated by savings are used for further consumption. Recently emerging research from the Living Lab is striving to address and anticipate challenges in innovation design by integrating users in prototyping and field testing product and service innovations. The paper presents findings from a literature review on rebound effects and expert interviews identifying methods to monitor and measures to mitigate rebound effects in early innovation design via Living Lab research. We find that monitoring and mitigating rebound effects in Living Lab research includes technological and behavioural triggers as well as socio-psychological and time use effects in addition to economic re-spending effects. The experts have confirmed that Living Labs contain the potential to observe complex demand systems of users within experimental designs, encompassing indirect rebound effects in terms of expenditure as well as time use. In this respect, Living Lab research can facilitate support for sustainable innovations, which aim to encourage changes in consumer behaviour, considering re-spending and time use effects simultaneously. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This special volume of the Journal of Cleaner Production was built principally upon articles submitted for the 5th International Workshop Advances in Cleaner Production held in São Paulo, Brazil, in 2015. The 43 articles emphasize the imperative need for shifting from unsustainable production and societal patterns to sustainable ones. They provide many new technological and/or management related approaches to help industries, governments, and society to speed up the transition to sustainable patterns. Efforts on defining and solving problems with the special accent upon a sustainable solution for the use of raw materials and energy, technological advances, product and policy changes are presented and deeply discussed. Improved corporate management for sustainable societal transitions is discussed, highlighting consumer empowerment in sponsoring implementation of innovative cleaner technologies within companies, industrial sectors, supply chains and countries. Multiple examples are provided relating the successful combination of cleaner production in policy structures, illustrating on how the focused work in production sectors is delivering multiplier benefits and creating conditions to facilitate a “leapfrogged” path toward SD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sweden has been praised for its sustainability efforts and decreasing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. When nations and urban districts publicize their low GHG emissions, these emissions are often based on a production perspective including only emissions occurring within their geographical boundary. If instead a consumption perspective is applied then all emissions attributable to the inhabitants consumption patterns, no matter where they occur, are included, e.g. from imported goods and air travel. This provides new outlooks on sustainability, from this perspective Swedish emissions have increased rather than decreased in the last decades. Swedish researchers and the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency propose that the production perspective should be complemented with a consumption perspective to describe more fairly who is responsible for what emissions. The purpose of this paper is to examine how a consumption perspective on GHG emissions has gained ground in Sweden, specifically in the new Strategic Climate Program of the City of Gothenburg, discussing what municipal strategies and environmental discourses this perspective enhances. Applying actor–network theory, we found three common features of importance for Sweden, and the City of Gothenburg, supporting the consumption perspective to gain ground. One is the existence of long-term environmental goals that facilitate this perspective. The other features are the existence of civil servants as drivers and the use of calculations from legitimate “fact builders.” We conclude that a consumption perspective strengthens the environmental justice discourse (as it claims to be a more just way of calculating global and local environmental effects) while possibly also increasing an individualized environmental discourse (as many municipal strategies aim to inform and influence the public to make lifestyle changes on their own). We argue that a consumption perspective is necessary in order to fully address environmental problems and to highlight issues of justice and responsibility. At the same time, this kind of eco-governmentality might lead to individualized self-governed climate subjects with outlooks that are too limited to foster change of dominant everyday practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates consumer experiences and perceptions of products and packaging made of recycled plastics and examines factors that are linked with the attractiveness of such applications. Generally, the drivers and barriers related to the demand for recycled plastics are not thoroughly understood. To study these, a survey was conducted in Finland. The results reveal that 93% of consumers of recycled plastic applications are satisfied with the acquired products and would buy the products again. The use of recycled plastic is stated to have positively affected purchase decisions of 86% of consumers. The results imply that females, younger people, those who recycle, and those who are environmentally conscious are likelier to think that the use of recycled plastics increases product attractiveness. However, developers and producers should pay attention to availability, product selection and labeling of recycled plastics. The study provides information on potential customers, marketing strategies, and appreciated product characteristics for developers, manufacturers, policy-makers, and researchers in the plastic field. • Consumers are mainly satisfied with the products made of recycled plastic they own. • The use of recycled plastic seems to positively affect purchase decisions. • Many product- and consumer-specific factors impact attractiveness of recycled plastic. • Product selection, availability and labeling should be improved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phosphorus (P) is widely used in food production and is essential to human beings. China's rapid socioeconomic transition, including economic development, population growth, and dietary changes, has led to significant changes in P supply chain networks and P emissions. Revealing the critical socioeconomic factors that influence P emissions from the consumption side is essential for P emission reduction. Here we explored the key sectors influencing P emissions in the P supply chain networks from the consumption side during 1949–2012 based on the physical input-output (PIO) model. Results showed that food processing sectors (e.g., coarse grain processing) were the dominant demand-side drivers. Subsequently, we applied structural decomposition analysis (SDA) to reveal critical socioeconomic factors influencing P emissions from the changing P supply chain networks based on the consumption perspective. During 1949–2012, emission intensity change was the primary factor leading to P emission increments, contributing 6.0 million tons (Mt), followed by the increased per capita final demand (3.4 Mt), population growth (1.4 Mt), and the change in production structure (1.2 Mt). The change in the final demand structure was the only factor that contributed to P emission reductions (2.9 Mt). It is worth noting that the impact of the change in P emission intensity on P emission increments has gradually diminished in recent years, but the incremental effect of production structure changes has gradually increased. This indicated that, in addition to end-of-pipe control measures (e.g., reducing P emission intensities), structural optimization actions are urgently needed to reduce P emissions. For example, the production efficiency of P supply chain networks should be improved, particularly by reducing food loss in food processing sectors. Moreover, promoting green consumption and optimizing the export structure would have significant potentials of reducing P emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As economies in the European Union are ultimately driven by the final consumption of citizens, policy makers need proper indicators to monitor the environmental impacts associated with this consumption. These indicators can be constructed using two different approaches, each having their strengths and limitations. The top-down approach is based on environmentally extended input–output analysis and quantifies the environmental impacts of product groups and services provided by industrial sectors. The bottom-up approach is based on Life Cycle Assessment and quantifies the environmental impacts of a selection of representative products. The bottom-up approach has already been used by the European Commission's Joint Research Centre to calculate the impacts of the final consumption per capita in the European Union in 2006. In this paper, we calculated these impacts through a top-down approach, using the Exiobase database. The covered household activities are food, consumer goods, mobility, shelter and services. The goal was to calculate all the impact categories recommended by the International Reference Life Cycle Data handbook, and compare both approaches. However, the categories ionizing radiation, toxicity and abiotic resource depletion could not be included, as some relevant emissions and resources are not available in Exiobase. To study more profoundly the impact on natural resources, we added the Cumulative Exergy Extraction From the Natural Environment to the impact assessment. When comparing both approaches, it can be concluded that there is a considerable shift in the results. This means that the information obtained by a top-down approach could supplement the information base for policy support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Household consumption (for housing, mobility, food, goods and services) accounts for about 70% of Finland's carbon footprint (greenhouse gas emissions caused by the domestic final use of products). Therefore, climate change mitigation calls for changes in human behaviour and consumption patterns. Opinion polls indicate that Finns are concerned about climate issues; at the same time the carbon footprint of household consumption in Finland is high on a global scale. It is clear that environmentally sustainable behaviour and decisions at the household level require knowledge, motivation and services that support actions. To tackle unsustainable consumption patterns, action models promoting households' environmental sustainability were developed and piloted in Finland. The action research approach was applied to study the process of development and piloting of the action models, with key intermediaries and target groups involved in the process. These action models were designed specifically to help households decrease their energy consumption and carbon footprint. The action models provide tailored feedback and advice to address sustainable consumption from two perspectives: (1) everyday sustainable choices and practices and (2) long-term home-renovation decisions. In the action models, the focus is on the most significant consumption choices. Therefore they also supplement Finland's programme for sustainable consumption and production. The pilot work demonstrates the role of the interactive process and feedback from target groups and intermediaries in significantly improving the action models, the importance of personal contact for supporting household interpretation of numerical data and provision of tailored advice, the role of intermediaries in disseminating research-based knowledge and tools, and that sustainability-based perspectives in the renovation and housing-maintenance sector can provide new and supplementary business opportunities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Policy instruments and measures already target the global warming impacts of housing and transport in many countries, although many of those instruments were not originally developed for the purpose. However, the challenge of curbing climate change calls not only for innovative and improved instruments, but for integrated policy packages that address consumption across the entire product life cycle, recognize links between different consumption sectors, and identify and harness synergies between instruments. To this end, we first evaluate the effectiveness of existing policy instruments targeted at housing, passenger transport and food in Finland. The results show large impacts on greenhouse gas emissions. Second, we integrate instruments into packages, which minimize potential negative interferences, while strengthening synergies and complementarities between instruments. We estimate the potential of the consequent emission reductions to be considerable. By 2020, housing and passenger transport emissions are estimated to decline by 4.2 million tons (Mt). Integrated food related policy packages are estimated to reduce emissions 0.3 Mt in Finland and life-cycle based emissions by 0.5 Mt. Altogether the emission reduction would be 4.5 Mt in Finland, which is over 6% of Finland's average emissions 68 Mt for years 2008–2012. In conclusion, though greenhouse gas emissions of household consumption have already been affected by policy instruments, it is better to develop policy packages by which the synergies between measures can be reinforced and hence overall effectiveness can be improved. We found acceptability of policy instruments to be a key issue, necessitating careful implementation, long-term consistency and research showing evidence of their effectiveness. The full realization of the policy package potential requires improved co-operation across relevant ministries and public authorities, which can be facilitated by common policy programs and objectives for all related public authorities. The project results were used in the preparation of a revision of Finland's program for sustainable consumption and production. We propose that similar policy package development processes in other countries would increase further our understanding about effective policy packages, reinforce each other, and speed up the changes for more sustainable consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Predictions of national and global water use have been criticized for being inaccurate and for not taking into consideration economic development. Of the little research that does address water use as a function of economic development, results are inconsistent, but much claims to find clear evidence of an Environmental Kuznets Curves (EKC) or “inverted U” type relationship. This research attempts to elucidate the relationship between income growth and freshwater use by a) evaluating a variety of cross-sectional and panel datasets on water withdrawals and consumptive use, b) employing both traditional least squares and non-parametric regression analysis, the latter of which offers the advantage of not assuming a given functional form, c) testing both per capita and total water use, and d) comparing water withdrawals to consumptive use. The research finds some support for the existence of an EKC, but results are highly dependent on choice of datasets and statistical technique. Results are also sector specific and EKC curves prove to be poor indicators of individual country behavior. As such, the study points to limitations of EKCs in terms of water use policy and planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Much of the research on environmental awareness and sustainability targets the impact of production on the environment and the need for more sustainable production practices. However, a disproportionate amount of all environmental impact comes today from consumption and everyday life, particularly in how purchased products are put to use by concrete individuals in their daily lives. Such daily practices, moreover, are always deeply embedded in historical, cultural, and social specificities. Thus, we suggest, alongside other scholars, that sustainability studies should also consider routinized domestic practices. In this article, we do so by examining some everyday habits linked to eating, personal hygiene, and cleaning in Brazil, as well as discourses that are currently developing around sustainability in this country. We contrast the two and show that, oftentimes, individuals' awareness about sustainability is at odds with their own consumption practices. Based on qualitative and quantitative research, we investigate (1) routinized, potentially environmentally-unsustainable practices of washing, cleaning, and eating in Brazil, and (2) Brazilian consumers' perceptions about sustainability, ultimately suggesting that both perceptions and practices are indicating substantial impediments to a more sustainable way of life. These varied data and analyses are intended as a first step towards future studies on whether and how it might be possible “re-socialize” Brazilian consumers towards domestic sustainability, thus leading to the emergence of more sustainable homes. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Unsustainable consumption and production patterns have brought human civilization to the brink of a global disaster. Alteration of these patterns to minimize adverse environmental impacts has become the key question of survival, a question relevant for every country and citizen. In this paper we are looking at trends of consumption and production in the post-Soviet republics. These countries have a common history, but they took different routes to development. They are at different stages of economic growth and political processes, with differences also in consumption and production-related environmental pressures and policies. This study is based on statistical data analysis and snap-shot surveys of national experts from non-governmental organizations, reflecting their views and observations, which often differ from official positions of national governments and international organizations. In order to draw conclusions about the possibilities for further development, we analyze various sustainable consumption and production indicators, policy developments, progress achieved and the main challenges behind sustainable consumption and production governance in these countries. Sustainable consumption and production policy in the countries of the region is fragmented, and none of the countries uses a holistic integrated approach. The influence of the EU seems to be critical for advancing sustainable development principles. However, the EU accession does not address the growth effect, which is the main driver behind increasing environmental pressures related to consumption. There is still a long way to go from this mosaic of policy elements to a coherent policy with adequate institutional support and funding mechanisms. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Global resource use and the associated environmental impacts continue to grow, partly due to the increasing levels of European material consumption. Many policies and strategies for sustainable everyday life have been initiated by governments and businesses, mainly based on technological innovations for reducing environmental impacts of production processes, designing better products, and providing infrastructure for collective services. There is, however, a growing recognition that sustainable lifestyles can be shaped not only through technological innovation, but also through social innovation. Social innovation is an emergent field of academic research and everyday practice that aims to meet social needs more effectively than existing solutions by engaging the power of social actors, stimulating interactions among them and enabling dynamic social processes. Social innovation is often seen as an important contribution to sustainable living at the local level, but only as a niche with little immediate relevance for advancing large-scale societal change at regime and landscape levels. By employing a participatory backcasting approach, the present research challenges this perception and aims to demonstrate the importance of social innovation processes and stakeholder engagement in envisioning the evolution of mainstream sustainable lifestyles from existing and emerging sustainable practices. The paper presents results of a European social platform project, SPREAD Sustainable Lifestyles 2050, which brought together academics, European decision makers, businesses and civil society in order to explore potential visions of sustainable lifestyles in 2050 and identify focus areas for future research. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: An environmentally extended input–output (EE-IO) analysis – environmental impacts of material flows caused by the Finnish economy – was carried out in order to improve data on production and consumption in Finland. The study resulted in the ENVIMAT model, which can be used to analyze the relationship between material flows, environmental impacts and the economy. The model is based on monetary and physical input–output tables and an environmental life-cycle impact assessment. This article summarizes the main methodological aspects and findings regarding the material flows and climate impacts caused by the Finnish economy in 2002 and 2005. The Finnish model has relatively detailed input data with 150 industries and 918 products and the data on imports was assessed according to a mixed approach with the help of life-cycle inventory data. The results of the model showed that the Finnish economy uses imported material resources as much as domestic resources. Life-cycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions caused by imports were equivalent to 70–80% of domestic emissions. The GHG emissions embodied in imports (emissions abroad) and exports (emissions within Finland) were of the same magnitude. The analysis showed that the service sector accounted for 44% of GHG emissions caused by the domestic final use of products. Analysis of the results also showed that the indicator of total material requirement (TMR) should not be used for environmental impact comparisons of products and services. In the future, the aim is to use the ENVIMAT model for assessing temporal changes in the economy; for monitoring sustainable development; for planning climate change mitigation; and for identifying important factors in the economy and assessing their impacts. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper focuses on growth feasibility in an era of increasing scarcity of fossil fuels. A stylised dynamic model illustrates the implications of investing in smooth technological progress in the field of renewable energy. Positive rates of GDP growth sustained by fossil fuels entail, on the one hand, more income available for R&D in renewable energy sources, and on the other, an acceleration of the exhaustible resource depletion time. Our model explores such a trade-off and highlights the danger of high growth rates. Policies should target low growth rates, stimulate investment in alternative energy sources and discourage consumption growth. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

While the environmental benefits of car sharing have been highlighted, the motivations for people deciding whether or not to use a car-sharing service remain unclear. This study aims to fill the research gap by proposing and testing a comprehensive model that includes utilitarian (economic benefits and individual reputation) and altruistic (environmental concerns and community belonging) motivations. In addition, this research considers the direct and moderating effects of perceived power, which refers to a perceived psychological ownership leading to a "can-do" state, which has not been examined by previous research. A survey was conducted among 372 individuals who had or had not used car sharing, and data were analyzed using logistic regression. The suggested model had high predictive power for respondents' reported use or non-use of car-sharing services. Economic benefits, environmental concerns and the interaction between perceived power and economic benefits emerged as significant predictors of the use of car-sharing services. The implications for managers of car-sharing platforms, managers of traditional automobile businesses and public policymakers are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The environmental impact of meat is high mainly due to the feed required by livestock in combination with the impacts of cultivating, transporting and processing of feed crops such as tapioca and grains. Like regular feed crops, livestock also feed on residue from the food industry, such as pulp, scrap and peels. Both types of raw material have different environmental impacts. Feeding food residue to livestock is an efficient way to upgrade a low quality material into high quality foods. In the Netherlands, food residue represents the majority of the feedstock for feed. Distinguishing crops from food residue has consequences for the ascribed environmental impact of meat. This paper separates these two streams using volume, environmental impact and their relevance in meat production. An assessment is made of three food industries (sugar beet industry, vegetable oil industry and potato product industry) that produce the largest stream of food residue, and of the pork industry, as an example of meat production. The environmental impact of food residue-based feed is allocated in three different ways: mass ratio, economic basis, and no assigned burden. We found that the amount of pork produced from food residue is substantial. The environmental impact of food residue-based feed is also significantly lower than grain-based feed. We discuss changes in vegetable and in animal product consumption that influence the environmental impact of pork. It is concluded that the use of current food residue keeps the environmental impact of livestock foods relatively low. However, a further increase in meat consumption would require more feed grains with a correspondingly larger environmental impact because food residues are used up. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Routines in daily life are crucial for consumption of energy and water in households and therefore, knowledge of how routines develop and change is extremely relevant from a sustainable consumption perspective. Routines emerge, develop and change in close relation with different kinds of everyday technologies. In this article, these processes are investigated from three different perspectives: an historical perspective of how new technologies have entered homes, a consumer perspective of how both houses and new technologies are purchased and finally, as the primary part of the article, a user perspective of how routines develop while these technologies are being used. In the conclusion these insights are discussed in relation to possible ways of influencing routines. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The paper indicates how a few innovative actions of companies to reduce emission in the chain of products save costs of pollution control and even provide net benefits for companies in some cases. Costs and savings in the chains of products are assessed with a decision support model by comparing compliance and preventative corporate strategies regarding the far-reaching emission reduction. Ten cases are presented: tomatoes, an animal fat, a vegetable spread, a washing powder, a men''s shirt, an office armchair, a kitchen block, a television set, a copier, and a car. The costs of pollution control can in several cases be avoided or reduced through focused actions in the life cycle, including changes in suppliers, adaptation of the manufacturing process and in consumers'' behaviour. A distinction is made between consumption of the short-cycle and durable products. For consumption of the short-cycle products, the high compliance costs and the cost-saving innovations are usually found in the primary steps of supply (e.g. agriculture in food and mining of minerals) and in disposal (e.g. packaging). For consumption of the durable products, the high compliance costs and cost-saving innovations are mainly found in manufacturing of some components, during use of products because of electricity and fuel use and disposal of voluminous products. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The paper reviews some of the many initiatives and efforts to build networks and institute policies promoting sustainable production and consumption (SPAC) values and practices in North America since the 1992 UN Conference on Environment and Development. It analyzes a selection of SPAC initiatives in Canada and USA from the NASCA/CEC database, drawing also on interviews with representatives from government, businesess, consumer and environmental organizations on their experience and efforts to “take the lead” in influencing public opinion and behavior as well as government and corporate policy towards SPAC. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The sustainable seafood area has seen experiments with market-based approaches in the US and Europe since the mid-1990s. These include consumer campaigns and Marine Stewardship Council certification. Such consumption strategies have made much progress but need to focus more on how production and consumption intersect. Because producers, their impacts and implementation of sustainable fishing practices are currently unidentifiable, it is difficult to tell whether industry is changing. This article argues that seafood producers can be made more accountable for their production impacts through taking a production chain view, making producers more transparent and creating production chain pressures. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Life cycle assessment (LCA) has been recognized in the EU in the context of ‘Integrated Product Policy’ (IPP) as providing “the best framework for assessing the potential environmental impacts of products currently available.” A study to promote the use of LCA-based product information was designed, with the following objectives: (a) to develop different benchmarks to which the LCA results of various products can be compared, (b) to study how consumers understand the different benchmarks and what proposals for improvement they have, and (c) to propose a few presentation formats and benchmarks for presenting LCA-based information in communications to consumers. Here we present the final results, i.e., the suggested benchmarks and presentation formats, ‘eco-benchmark’. We also present some lessons derived from the feedback gained from consumers and other stakeholders, and point out future directions for improving the benchmarks and their utilization. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Copper slag, a by-product from copper smelting industry, is widely used as an abrasive material to remove rust, old coating and other contamination in dry abrasive blasting which is an expensive process and results in significant amounts of particulate emissions and spent abrasive. This paper presents models developed to improve productivity and consumption of copper slag as functions of blast pressure, abrasive feed rate, and surface contamination. These models will help industries in selecting optimum process conditions for maximum efficiency and to achieve cleaner production by consuming less materials and energy resources. In addition, the models will greatly assist in evaluation of the life cycle costs for use of copper slag in dry abrasive blasting. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The environmental and social impact of gold mining is particularly acute and hence there has been a call on the part of numerous activists to reconsider the necessity of mining this metal when more supplies of gold are above than below ground. This is especially true since gold is eminently recyclable and is primarily used for ornamentation. However, the key issue with regard to the gold industry is that unlike most luxury commodities, the largest areas of gold consumption are found in impoverished developing countries. Cultural factors play an important role in gold consumption and Western anti-mining activists are often tepid on this issue to avoid being blamed for lack of sensitivity. Yet, if developing countries are to accuse developed countries of over-consumption and resulting environmental impacts, they must also evaluate their own consumption patterns of gold. This paper explores the ways in which this issue can be approached as an integrated societal concern. By following these measures, both developed and developing countries can avoid breaking the “golden rule” of personal accountability and reduce the potential for conflict. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Non-renewable resources, including metals, minerals, and fossil fuels, are being consumed at ever-increasing rates. Only a small proportion of this consumption of natural capital is being converted to other forms of durable human capital; the majority, especially of fuels, is being consumed unrecoverably. Worse is the fact that the majority of the benefits from this consumption accrue inequitably, not only between the developed and developing world, but also within these worlds where income disparity is increasing dramatically. One solution to the problem of non-renewable resource depletion is to change the valuation of these materials, such that their prices reflect fully internalized costs plus the “cost of replacement.” Given that non-renewable resources are irreplaceable, this latter cost should be set high enough to encourage extensive conservation through recycling and reuse. A place to start in revaluing non-renewable resources such as metals is through royalty rates on mined product. Currently, royalty rates are very low, and are often charged only on profits. I propose that minimum royalty rates on revenues should be set by international agreement, and that these rates should be slowly increased over several years to allow markets time to adjust. In this way, consumers would be made directly aware of the irreplaceable value of minerals and metals, leading to a change in usage patterns, and the benefits of resource extraction would be more equitably distributed to producer nations. Ensuring that these new revenues are actually invested back into society as sustainable development requires a commitment to quality governance. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]