Myths about Sustainable Consumption

Dispelled
1. Auflage 2026
ISBN: 978-1-041-01217-7
Verlag: Routledge

Buch, Englisch, 272 Seiten, Format (B × H): 156 mm x 234 mm, Gewicht: 418 g

Why, despite decades of warnings and solutions, does unsustainable consumption still persist? What keeps societies locked into business as usual even when the consequences are clear? This book contends that part of the answer lies in the myths we adhere to – powerful narratives that normalise the status quo, limit imagination and delay the transition to sustainability.

Gathering leading scholars from various disciplines, this book examines 12 of the most widespread myths about sustainable consumption – from the belief that information provision, small individual actions or technological fixes will deliver sustainability to the faith in economic growth as the goal of societal development and the idea that consumer demand drives sustainability. Each chapter explores the origin of a specific myth, details its environmental and social impacts and presents evidence-based counterarguments. Chapters also move beyond critique by offering practical strategies, policy and business implications and inspiring real-world examples, illustrating how alternative pathways can be implemented in practice. Collectively, the chapters reveal how myths endure through cultural resonance, institutional embedding, daily practices and political interests, while also providing a clear and applicable framework for diagnosing myths, debating them and designing alternatives. The book underscores recurring barriers to change but highlights leverage points and opportunities for transformation.

This volume will benefit researchers, students, policymakers, business leaders and engaged citizens seeking to understand why simplistic solutions fall short and how sufficiency, justice and systemic change can foster more sustainable ways of living within planetary boundaries. It ultimately empowers readers to rethink taken-for-granted assumptions and help accelerate sustainability transformations.

The Open Access version of this book, available at http://www.taylorfrancis.com, has been made available under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives (CC BY-NC-ND) 4.0 license.

Zielgruppe

Postgraduate

Autoren/Hrsg.

Mont, Oksana

Fachgebiete

• Sozialwissenschaften Politikwissenschaft Regierungspolitik Umwelt- und Gesundheitspolitik
• Wirtschaftswissenschaften Betriebswirtschaft Bereichsspezifisches Management Betriebliches Energie- und Umweltmanagement
• Geowissenschaften Umweltwissenschaften Umweltpolitik, Umweltprotokoll
• Geowissenschaften Umweltwissenschaften Nachhaltigkeit
• Wirtschaftswissenschaften Volkswirtschaftslehre Internationale Wirtschaft Entwicklungsökonomie & Emerging Markets
• Wirtschaftswissenschaften Volkswirtschaftslehre Volkswirtschaftslehre Allgemein Verhaltensökonomik

Inhaltsverzeichnis

Introduction  1. Myths We Live By: How They Sustain Unsustainable Consumption  Part I - Individual Level  2. Myth 1: There’s No Point in Me Sacrificing Myself When No One Else Cares  3. Myth 2: Infophilia – Information Alone Will Change Consumer Behaviour  4. Myth 3: Shopping is the Perfect Therapy – Consumption Offers Lasting Happiness  5. Myth 4: The More, The Merrier – The Road to Freedom and Well-Being is Paved with Endless Choices  Part II - Organisational Level  6. Myth 5: In Tech We Trust – The Environmental Crisis can be Engineered Away and Sustainable Consumption Attained  7. Myth 6: Services Will Save Us – Sustainability without Sacrifice through Access, Sharing, and Digitalisation  8. Myth 7: It’s Not Worth Repairing: The Myth of Neophilia  9. Myth 8: Sufficiency Means the End of Modern Life, Comfort, And Joy - People Will Never Choose Less  Part III - Societal Level  10. Myth 9: Without Economic Growth, Sustainable Consumption is Impossible  11. Myth 10: Economic Progress will Naturally Lead to More Free Time  12. Myth 11: Transition to Sustainable Consumption is Primarily Driven by Consumer Demand  13. Myth 12: Strong Sustainable Consumption Governance Means Sacrificing Freedom and Well-Being  Part IV - Pathways Beyond Myths  14. From Myths to Transformation

Über Autor(innen)

Oksana Mont is a professor of sustainable consumption governance at the International Institute for Industrial Environmental Economics, Lund University, Sweden, and a Wallenberg scholar.