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Sustainable Consumption and Mass Communication: A German Experiment

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  • L Reisch
  • Clive L. Spash
  • Sabine Bietz

Abstract

How to change economic behaviour and achieve sustainable consumption? This paper reports on using television and internet communication as a means of engaging the least interested sections of society with respect to environmental problems and sustainability issues. The theory behind developing such communication is described and the importance of social psychological factors brought to the fore. Initial results indicating the success of the approach employed in actual broadcasts on television in Germany are then reported. Some concerns over use of the media and public engagement are also discussed. This is a paper from the Socio-Economics and Environment in Discussion working paper series edited by Clive L. Spash which ran from 2007 to 2009. This particular paper appeared in August 2008 and was later published as a book chapter: Reisch, L., C. L. Spash and S. Bietz. 2010. ‘The Socio-Psychology of Achieving Sustainable Consumption: An Example Using Mass Communication’. In R. F. Holt et al. (eds), Post Keynesian and Ecological Economics: Confronting Environmental Issues, pp.178-199. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar.

Suggested Citation

  • L Reisch & Clive L. Spash & Sabine Bietz, 2021. "Sustainable Consumption and Mass Communication: A German Experiment," SRE-Disc sre-disc-2021_04, Institute for Multilevel Governance and Development, Department of Socioeconomics, Vienna University of Economics and Business.
    • Handle: RePEc:wiw:wiwsre:sre-disc-2021_04
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    File URL: https://www-sre.wu.ac.at/sre-disc/sre-disc-2021_04.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    9. Jonathan Aldred, 2006. "Incommensurability and Monetary Valuation," Land Economics, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 82(2), pages 141-161.
    10. Clive L. Spash, 2006. "Non-Economic Motivation for Contingent Values: Rights and Attitudinal Beliefs in the Willingness To Pay for Environmental Improvements," Land Economics, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 82(4), pages 602-622.
    11. Becker-Olsen, Karen L. & Cudmore, B. Andrew & Hill, Ronald Paul, 2006. "The impact of perceived corporate social responsibility on consumer behavior," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 59(1), pages 46-53, January.
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    18. Spash, Clive L., 2000. "Ecosystems, contingent valuation and ethics: the case of wetland re-creation," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 34(2), pages 195-215, August.
    19. Spash, Clive L., 2007. "The economics of climate change impacts a la Stern: Novel and nuanced or rhetorically restricted?," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 63(4), pages 706-713, September.
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Anthony Ryan & Clive L Spash & Thomas G Measham, 2009. "Household Water Collection in Canberra," Socio-Economics and the Environment in Discussion (SEED) Working Paper Series 2009-06, CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems.
    2. Peter JONES & Daphne COMFORT & David HILLIER, 2014. "Water Stewardship and Corporate Sustainability," Economia. Seria Management, Faculty of Management, Academy of Economic Studies, Bucharest, Romania, vol. 17(2), pages 358-372, December.
    3. Peter Jones & Daphne Comfort & David Hillier, 2015. "Sustainability and the UK’s Leading Retailers," Tržište/Market, Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Zagreb, vol. 27(1), pages 93-111.
    4. Peter Jones & Daphne Comfort & David Hillier, 2016. "Interpretations of the Concept of Sustainability Amongst the UK’s Leading Food and Drink Wholesalers," Tržište/Market, Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Zagreb, vol. 28(2), pages 213-229.
    5. Anthony Ryan & Clive L. Spash & Thomas G Measham, 2021. "Motives Behind Domestic Greywater and Rainwater Collection: Evidence from Australia," SRE-Disc sre-disc-2021_05, Institute for Multilevel Governance and Development, Department of Socioeconomics, Vienna University of Economics and Business.
    6. Peter Jones & David Hillier & Daphne Comfort, 2017. "SMEs: The Sustainable Development Goals and the Financial Services Industry," Athens Journal of Business & Economics, Athens Institute for Education and Research (ATINER), vol. 3(1), pages 37-50, January.
    7. David Hillier & Daphne Comfort & Peter Jones, 2017. "The Packaging Industry and Sustainability," Athens Journal of Business & Economics, Athens Institute for Education and Research (ATINER), vol. 3(4), pages 405-426, October.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Consumption; behaviour; choice; norms; consumer theory; environment;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • A13 - General Economics and Teaching - - General Economics - - - Relation of Economics to Social Values
    • D11 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Consumer Economics: Theory
    • D12 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Consumer Economics: Empirical Analysis
    • D46 - Microeconomics - - Market Structure, Pricing, and Design - - - Value Theory
    • D62 - Microeconomics - - Welfare Economics - - - Externalities
    • D64 - Microeconomics - - Welfare Economics - - - Altruism; Philanthropy; Intergenerational Transfers
    • D70 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - General
    • D40 - Microeconomics - - Market Structure, Pricing, and Design - - - General
    • Q01 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - General - - - Sustainable Development
    • Q51 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Valuation of Environmental Effects

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