‘You can’t have your cake and eat it’: Why we should be concerned about urban household consumption

Olamide Shittu

Circular Economy Research Fellow, Centre for Urban Transitions, Swinburne University of Technology

Email: oshittu@swin.edu.au

For so long our global economy has been built on driving economic growth by maximising production with little regard for nature’s capacity to sustain and regenerate itself. One only needs to visit the nearest mall to witness the multitude of consumer product varieties, each brand promising a slightly better function than the next. Moreover, many modern products are infamous for becoming obsolete or ‘less trendy’ in a short period of time.

This mass production is equally matched by the intensifying rate of purchasing goods and services in urban households. As if the overexploitation of the environment and our natural resources is not enough, we have generated more waste than ever before and this is projected to worsen by 2050 mostly in cities. Moreover, the negative effects of waste on animals, the environment and climate change are well documented. As recognised in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), we must urgently transform the way we consume in our cities. While there is a lot of focus on businesses, urban households are also vital to achieving SDGs 11 and 12 in cities.

In 2019, I undertook a systematic literature review of academic articles published since the adoption of the SDGs in 2015 to understand what scholars within the field of consumption studies have identified as the emerging sustainability challenges facing urban households. This article discusses key findings from the review as published in the Journal of Cleaner Production.

What are the major sustainability issues of household consumption in cities?

Carbon and material footprints of households: Studies show that CO2 emission in urban households is on the rise because of the increasing consumption rate, for instance in Japan and Finland. Three major factors that contribute to this rising energy footprint are electricity usage, transportation, and the type of residential building. In the United Kingdom, technology such as ICT devices has been found to double energy consumption given the variety and multiple applicability that they offer households. Similarly, food items, outfits, electronics, and services are expenses that increase household material footprint. Some studies have attributed the high consumption footprint in households to the poor management of urban resources such as the continued usage of fossil fuels for electricity generation.

Contradictory nature of sustainability knowledge in households: Several studies have established that sustainability knowledge is still inadequate in urban households. For instance, even when some households own energy-efficient technological appliances, they were unable to interpret the data for reducing their energy use. But interestingly, sustainability knowledge has not been found to improve sustainable lifestyles either, at least not alone. There are two reasons for this. First, Longo and colleagues observed that people who acquire sustainability knowledge often feel emotionally unsure of their achievements. Second, adopting a sustainable lifestyle in urban households goes beyond just acquiring sustainability knowledge to include having the necessary sociomaterial factors such as infrastructure and income.

Impact of income on the consumption pattern of households: When it comes to carbon footprint, high-income urban households were found to contribute more to energy use because they tend to own more energy-intensive devices. On the other hand, both high- and low-income urban households have similar material intensities in their consumption pattern. But income makes a significant difference when it comes to sustainable lifestyles – low-income urban households are unable to afford sustainable products and services even when they know about sustainable consumption.

“Adopting a sustainable lifestyle in urban households goes beyond just having sustainability knowledge to include having the necessary sociomaterial factors such as infrastructure and income.”

What strategies can be adopted to transform household consumption in cities?

One of the strategies recommended by consumption scholars is the development of urban infrastructure, particularly by decarbonising the energy system and adopting renewable energy. However, there is a greater emphasis on the importance of driving local-level intervention programmes that empower communities to participate in co-designing solutions that facilitate sustainable consumption in urban households. In this regard, civil societies and non-governmental organisations are identified as key partners to influence household practices through community events and advocacy.

Another strategy suggested in the literature is to develop various policy initiatives based on different household classifications such as levels of income and energy use. Beyond direct household policies, scholars also emphasise the importance of developing economic and technological initiatives in cities. For instance, the European Union’s integrated product policy has been identified as a strategy that can reduce the environmental impact of products and services. Also, Spencer and colleagues developed seven guidelines to transform the design process of products.

The bigger picture

There is an urgent need to transition our cities to circular economies to eliminate or drastically reduce our energy and material impact on the environment. Although not my focus here, it is important for large businesses to stop greenwashing and proactively commit to holistically transforming their production and supply chain systems. Lastly, a circular city should be just and inclusive. All sustainability stakeholders must collaborate to eliminate vulnerabilities in communities and households for a healthy and regenerative city.

Funding information

The doctoral research that informed this article was supported by the Swinburne University Postgraduate Research Award (SUPRA) and a travel grant from the Centre for Urban Transitions, Swinburne University of Technology.

Article reference

Shittu, O 2020, ‘Emerging sustainability concerns and policy implications of urban household consumption: A systematic literature review’, Journal of Cleaner Production, vol. 246, no. 119034, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2019.119034.