People, planet and consumption : how young New Zealanders are responding to their awareness of consumption and ecological concerns

Abstract

Driven by consumerism, resource depletion directly impacts ecological degradation and contributes to planetary environmental destruction. This study explores how young New Zealanders develop an awareness of the effects of consumption and respond to related ecological concerns. At the time of this study the 17 young people who self-identified as Aotearoa New Zealand citizens were aged between 22-29 years. They were recruited through an online survey and participated in one-to-one interviews and a focus group. Using a modified grounded theory approach to elicit and examine their narratives, the research sought to identify key drivers that shaped these young people's awareness of ecological degradation and their actions to conserve planetary resources. Implications drawn from this study are relevant for policymakers, educators and parents to understand the critical influences and actions imperative for developing future generations of ecological citizens. Changing dominant economic, political and social systems to develop individuals who will hold post-materialistic values and share ecological worldviews will not be easy, as this will require dynamic change to parenting approaches and other dominant models, including education. Structural changes initiated with a clear vision of what is needed and shared by trusted leaders across all levels of society, rather than just mandatory legislation changes, could help shift citizens towards more sustainable practices. Parents taking their children into the outdoors and exposing them to free-ranging exploration of nature develops long-lasting connections and an awareness of the environment. Introducing a new education paradigm, as argued by advocates of Education for Sustainable Development that places sustainability as the central core in thinking, teaching and learning. An education model that promotes a communal approach to teaching ecological citizenship, where social agency rather than individual agency is championed to prevent young people feeling overwhelmed with the complexity of what they are facing in light of environmental and social challenges. These insights will be useful to encourage and support future generations thinking and actions in more ecological ways as they begin to shoulder the burden and challenges associated with anthropogenic environmental change.

Date of Award	2021
Original language	English