Help us develop a research agenda for sustainable lifestyles!

[Oskari Niitamo]

The Spread team is working on a research agenda in which we identify research questions still unanswered on sustainable lifestyles. Please help us find the gaps. The research agenda will be used as a guide for the European Commission to establish future research programs.

Your answers will be incorporated in the project research agenda, which will be finalized by November 2012. The first draft will be presented to EU policy makers on October 2nd in Brussels. Have you say now!

Please help us with your ideas on the following issues OR suggest your own themes below! 

1. What gaps in research have you realized in your search for sustainable lifestyles? 

 

2. What subjects do policy makers overlook at the moment? (discuss this topic)

- Have policy makers indeed put enough attention on factors that make our societies liveable?

- What are the areas most pressingly in need for a wake up call?

 

3. Are there promising approaches in practice that should be studied scientifically? (discuss this topic)

- What kinds of signals or experiences might look like fruitful areas for research?

- Please share any stories of success or experiments that should be studied in more depth!

[Rosa Groezinger]

The first feedback coming from facebook:

Ivo Vermeulen ‎2. the policy makers might have fine plans, but what I see around me is that "John Modal" is not very concerned or convinced, and that most companies only make a turn towards sustainability if there is profit in it... so policy makers: out of the ivory tower and into reality!

 

And what do YOU think?

[Dick van Beers]

Dear SPREAD team:

My suggested research questions are:

1. What are the (potential) roles of local, national, and international businesses to contribute to sustainable living in Europe?
2. What are the success factors and challenges to create and implement these roles?
3. How can local, national, and international businesses be better engaged to contribute to sustainable lifestyles in Europe?

Happy to discuss further of course.

Kind regards

Dick van Beers

[Isabell Ullrich]

Although there are more and more people joining the path to a more sustainable lifestyle, there are still a lot who do not care at all.

What are the reasons that keep them from living sustainable? Is it jusz laziness? Could we overcome this starting difficulties with the methods of light paternalism? Or with more mainstream information like environmental computer games, movies and stories in the media?

Those are my ideas about further research

Kind regards,

Isabell Ullrich

[Oskari Niitamo]

Thank for the replies all, keep it coming!

A major challenge seems to be discovering the different challenges of consumer motivations towards sustainability. Sebastian Philipps just lately posted another discussion on this research theme and it's controversialities with the topic of Sustainable Finance and Sustainable Lifestyles in conflicting interest.

[Jadwiga Zurad]

Dear SPREAD Team,

I believe that there is still a significant gap and a research opportunity at the same time in the area of the behavioural economics. It would be worthwhile to understand better the unconscious consumption decisions in order to develop further incentives for SL. The research question would be: 'What are the key consumption decisions that tend to be taken unconsciously and what tools are needed to nudge sustainable consumption decisions?'

All the best,

Jadwiga

[Oskari Niitamo]

The behavioral aspect of individuals and groups DOES seem like an area in need of more exploration.

Roope Mokka just posted information about a conference were having in Finland 'Peersome' around the theme of how peer groups influence our behavior (link to the discussion).   

[Ahmad ur Rehman Hafiz]

Dear SPREAD team

 

My suggested research questions are:

 

1)    What can the Europe learn from the entrepreneurial solutions to sustainable lifestyles in emerging economies (e.g., China the world’s largest solar water heater market and manufacturing base)?

2)    How certain beliefs and values impact lifestyles in a positive way? Compilation of examples like being vegan is part of their belief for many people in India.

I look forward to discuss further on this.

Best Regards,

Ahmad

[Julia Backhaus]

Hello SPREAD team!

Inspired by an interview with Chad Holliday (former CEO of DuPont) in this interesting publication (http://www.mckinsey.com/client_service/sustainability/latest_thinki...) it may be worth to propose research into "good cooperation" across the same domains (y ;-)our project covered: business, policy, academia and NGOs/CSOs. Potential research questions:

1. What are example of good (fruitful) cooperation acorss domains (e.g, private-public partnerships)?

2. How to build trust between actors to achieve common goals? (industry, policy and academia share the struggle for trust, for different reasons - and find different strategies to create trust -> let's learn from each other and work together better!)

I wish you all the best with finalising the research agenda!!

Julia

[Maria Ritola]

Good points you've raised so far on research topics that would be fruitful to explore further! Understanding individuals and their behavior is obviously a topic that deserves further explorations. Sustainable lifestyles' segmentation might bring added value in terms of understanding individuals' choices and mapping best business opportunities for the private sector. Another research topic that could be suggested relates to scaling up the promising practices that already exist, i.e. what are the best strategies, and how to implement them?

[Oleksandr Kutuzov]

Dear SPREAD team,

 

First of all I am thankful we can talk over the burning issues of the day.

 About the questions:

2. I would draw much attention to research opportunities to rise in living standards and reduce chronic disease. People are main importance and motive power of every society. Unfortunately abatement of nuisance doesn’t recover man’s health automatically.

 

3. I would write about the Practice HORA™ ( http://www.horausa.com/english/ ). It is a training method of growing individual life potential, natural health and reversing biological age. The practice gives everyone Evolutionary Health (sustainable health for mind and body as one), Extends Productivity, Increases Endurance, Personal Development, Fast Results and Individual Pace.  The practice adapts people to new living conditions in changeable world environment. It is acceptable for all age and all levels of physical training. It is unique and innovative phenomenon to reduce morbidity and to increase quality of life for everyone.

There are more than 25 local groups in U.S.A., Russian, Ukraine and Kazakhstan during about 20 years. Every regular practitioner is promising evidence in practice. The Practice HORA™ could be method of the best mass strategy to develop sustainable lifestyle in public health.

 

You mustn't take on trust, let us meet, communicate and then research the phenomena.

We really look for research organisations and local public health organisations interested in to practice the Practice HORA™.

 

I look forward to discuss further on this.

Best Regards,

Oleksandr

[Sarah Thorne]

Some very interesting points and great food for thought in this forum. Thanks everyone!

I would like to add some questions about sustainable monetary systems and social justice for the future as these are foundations for any discussion about lifestyles and behavioural changes. I think the questions the German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, has raised in her dialogue for the future are very relevant questions to expand on at an EU level: 

How do we want to live (together) in the future?

How can we make this financially viable?

How do we want to learn?

Especially with regards to the first two questions there is a very interesting conference in Munich this September, discussing the challenges and opportunities of introducing a basic income.

For more information and registration: http://www.bien2012.de/en

[eusebio manuel vestias pecurto]

Os politicos globais tem que encontrar soluções politicas para combater a polição nos grandes centros urbanos  a humanidade esta a ser bombardeada diariamente com substãcias quimicas nos grandes centros as grades cidades tem que ser sustentaveis o meio ambiente esta a perder a humanidade quere mundaças com politicas novas