Enabling Sustainable Production-Consumption Systems

Abstract

The pursuit of sustainability in particular places and sectors often unravels at the edges. Efforts to tackle environmental problems in one place shift them somewhere else or are overwhelmed by external changes in drivers. Gains in energy efficiency of appliances used in houses are offset by greater total numbers or compensating changes in patterns of use. Analytical perspectives and practical initiatives, which treat production and consumption jointly, are needed to complement experiences and efforts with sector-, place-, product-and consumer-oriented approaches. There is now a growing body of scholarship exploring a diverse range of initiatives and experiments aimed at enabling sustainable productionconsumption systems (PCSs). Different approaches make divergent assumptions about market institutions, government regulation, sociotechnical innovation, and actor partnerships. From this body of work flow useful insights for others who would engage, for example, in redesigning relationships around services rather than products or between third world producers and first world consumers in fair trade initiatives.

Style consumption: its drivers and role in sustainable apparel consumption

“…According to the definition provided by the United Nations, SDC refers to ‘the use of services and related products, which respond to basic needs and bring a better quality of life while minimizing the use of natural resources and toxic materials as well as the emissions of waste and pollutants over the life cycle of the service or product so as not to jeopardize the needs of further generations’ (Oslo Symposium, ). Several social entities including profit and non‐profit business organizations, public policy agencies, and consumer advocates have proposed and implemented various approaches to steer production of consumer products towards ways less harmful to our ecology and encouraging positive social changes (Lebel and Lorek, ). While much of the sustainability discussion has centered on the production side of the business cycle in the past, changing a consumer's consumption pattern, such as extending the usage of a product and reducing the frequency of purchase and even promoting shared use, is now being recognized as a critical aspect of achieving sustainability (Mont, ; Jackson, ).…”

Sustainable consumption in China: New trends and research interests

“…In reality, although consumers are willing to pay premium prices for sustainability or to change their consumption habits, they still lack the sufficient and reliable information needed to make informed choices (Jacobsen & Dulsrud, ). One of the most important reasons for this is the limited sustainability‐related information on the transition from sustainable production to sustainable consumption (Caniato, Caridi, Crippa, & Moretto, ; Lebel & Lorek, ; Meise, Rudolph, Kenning, & Phillips, ). Currently, consumers mainly obtain certain sustainability information by looking at trusted sources and from reference groups (i.e., other green consumers; Gupta & Ogden, ).…”

The environmental value and impact of the Maker movement—Insights from a cross‐case analysis of European maker initiatives

“…In reality, even though consumers are willing to pay a surcharge against sustainability or to change their consuming habits, the fact is that they still lack sufficient and reliable information needed to make informed choices (Jacobsen & Dulsrud, ). One of the most important reasons is the limited sustainability‐related information transition from sustainable production to sustainable consumption (Caniato, Caridi, Crippa, & Moretto, ; Lebel & Lorek, ; Meise, Rudolph, Kenning, & Phillips, ). Currently, consumers mainly can get certain sustainability information by looking for trustworthiness, reference groups (of other green consumers), and personal efficacy of doing something for the collective benefit of the communities in which they live (Gupta & Ogden, ).…”