No abstract

The article presents the results of two succeeding Norwegian studies on the environmental impacts of leisure consumption. The first study presents data on the total consumption of leisure products and services by Norwegians, showing that leisure consumption increases more than everyday consumption, the most energy-intensive leisure activities increase the most, leisure activities have become more dependent on transportation and that leisure activities are to an increasing extent based on more material consumption. The second study consists of case studies from four leisure activities in Norway that have experienced the greatest increases in consumption over the last two decades: outdoor recreation clothing, cabins, leisure boating and leisure transportation. The case studies show that the problems connected with reducing the environmental impacts of leisure consumption are numerous and complex, and cannot be solved alone by technological improvements in leisure products and services. We conclude that new policies have to be developed which can on a short-term basis promote changes of leisure consumer habits in a more environmentally friendly direction, and on a long-term basis alter the existing strong links between economic growth and leisure consumption.

No abstract

No abstract

BACKGROUND: Although there is a broad political consensus in Norway that the government should uphold the principles of "full employment" and "work for all," the majority of people with intellectual disabilities in Norway spend their days in segregated work arrangements or at day activity centres. OBJECTIVE: The aim of the current study was to explore what constitutes work and work roles for people with intellectual disabilities and severely limited verbal communication abilities who attend a day activity centre. METHOD: A qualitative ethnographic research design was adopted, and the data were gathered through observing the participants and through conducting conversational interviews with the staff members and the participants with intellectual disabilities. Data were analysed with a hermeneutic approach. RESULTS: The findings showed that even though participants with intellectual disabilities engaged in specific work roles at the day activity centre, these work roles did not constitute work as it is ordinarily conceptualised and valued in society. CONCLUSION: Despite the very real enjoyment that the participants derive from participating in organised occupation, the work that they do has little status or value, and the activity centre itself is not a satisfactory workplace for people with intellectual disabilities.