Sustainability Living in a Carbon-Priced Economy: “Shoulds” and “Woulds,” Making Amends and Sustainability Guilt

Abstract

Sustainability consumer behavior is a complex and emergent concept and involves progress toward creating a more sustainable society. Changes to government policy in Australia in the Rudd-Gillard era provide a new context for sustainability consumption. Little research appears to address how consumers make decisions and carry out practices to realize their own sustainability values from day to day in the context of a society and economy publicly committed to sustainability, which may also have the influence of not only changing social norms regarding sustainability but also social mores. This paper focuses on how sustainability-concerned consumers made their contribution to sustainability living. Qualitative research was undertaken using depth interviews with 15 sustainability-concerned consumers contacted by advertisement in a Melbourne (Australia) community newspaper along with snowball sampling. The research finds that concerned consumers’ contribution to sustainable living may be characterized on a shades-of-green continuum, as “shoulds” and “woulds”: those who know they should and were prepared to take action and those who are willing to seek more knowledge to take the right action. Sustainability-concerned consumers accept the responsibility to behave sustainably. However they frequently find that this is difficult to do. They consider that purchases and practices both contribute to sustainability and make amends for incorrect purchase by engaging in sustainability practices more widely and more frequently. This may provide an expanded understanding of the values purchase gap. The paper further uncovers how some consumers increasingly are experiencing guilt in regard to their sustainability behaviors. The paper concludes with a discussion of limitations and future research directions.

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