Consumer Panel on the Readiness of Finns to Behave in a More Pro-Environmental Manner

Noora Valkila and Arto Saari
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Noora Valkila: Aalto University, School of Engineering, Department of Civil and Structural Engineering, P.O. Box 12100, FI-00076 Aalto, Finland
Arto Saari: Aalto University, School of Engineering, Department of Civil and Structural Engineering, P.O. Box 12100, FI-00076 Aalto, Finland

Sustainability, 2012, vol. 4, issue 7, 1-19

Abstract: Due to climate change, there is an urgent need to take measures toward reducing greenhouse gases and energy consumption. It is therefore vital to examine peoples’ attitudes and the potential for a more pro-environmental readiness. Consumer panels were used in the gathering of data, even with such small subsamples, statistical significance of difference cannot be assessed. The research subjects participating were randomly selected from two different residential areas and three different age groups. The consumer panels examined the environmental attitudes of the research subjects as well as their readiness to adopt a more pro-environmental lifestyle under four theme headings: Urban structure, household energy consumption, mobility and lifestyle. The results suggest that all the research subjects are very much ready to reduce their consumption, but not quite ready to invest in expensive, but environmentally-friendly equipment. Young and elderly research subjects seemed more prepared to make pro-environmental changes than middle-aged subjects. Place of residence also seemed to have an impact on the adoption threshold: Research subjects living in more densely populated suburbs seemed to be more willing to give up driving, whereas those living in sparsely populated areas seemed to be more willing to invest in expensive, but environmentally-friendly equipment and give up flying for vacations.

Keywords: consumer panel; environmental-friendliness; behavioral readiness; urban structure; sustainable consumption (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2012
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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