Navigating the Consumers'Role of Living Sustainably in an Unsustainable Marketplace: Examining Practice Theory and Social Identity Theory at Ithaca's Ecovillage

摘要

As natural disasters surge,fossil fuels decrease,landfills reach capacity,and pollution levels increase in this globalized world,research investigating sustainable consumption behaviors is increasing in marketing and consumer research(Strengers and Mailer 2015).Additionally,while some businesses,cities,and even countries are becoming more sustainable,mostly,we still live in a very unsustainable marketplace and society(Lunde 2018).Researchers argue that marketers have an essential role in changing consumers'unsustainable behaviors;consumers are changing their behaviors by adopting sustainable practices(Perera,Auger,and Klein 2016).Just as research shows that loyal customers are important to the value of businesses(Dick and Basu 1994),consumers who maintain their sustainable practices and routines are influential to businesses,society,and the environment(Hargreaves 2011;Matthies and Thomas 2012).Consumers in many contexts are changing their routines and behaviors to be more sustainable;however,while their places of living may be sustainable,their work and play environments are very unsustainable.For example,consumers living in tiny homes and microapartments are considered sustainable(Mitchell 2014);consumers living sustainable-certified buildings are more sustainable(USGBC.org 2019).However,most still work and interact in an unsustainable marketplace and society.