CHANGING HIGH CONSUMPTION HOUSEHOLD PATTERNS

* Households have a key role to play: Policies should focus on “designing in” sustainability to existing socio-economic structures, that is making more sustainable behavior a rational and easy choice. Households should not be expected to carry the burden of initiating difficult changes. Governments, in cooperation with business and NGOs, should empower households to take effective action.

* Strategies should stress opportunities and benefits: Behavioural change of all actors involved can best be motivated by presenting the attractiveness of alternatives, not preaching a didactive message. Sustainable consumption can be promoted in terms of improved quality of life, community spirit and fun. Successful strategies and actions that can yield major savings include:

• - building low water use houses (cascade use of water, water efficient equipment, water pricing and individual metering);
• - promoting consumer choice of energy efficient behavior (providing tariff incentives to households, establishing energy efficiency standards, car pooling, hiring/leasing of equipment, use of communal facilities);
• - stimulating demand for sustainable goods and services (eco-testing by consumer organizations, eco-labelling, promoting eco-design by industry, introducing product profile systems, advertisement codes, purchasing cooperatives and direct links between farmers and households);
• - facilitating low waste consumption (extended producer responsibility, availability of waste collection points, stimulating prevention and recycling by waste fees);
• - promoting sustainable housing and infrastructure (building and insulation standards, certification, phase-out of toxic materials, promote easy access to public transport and reduce dependence on car, promote eco-tourism and organic farming in rural areas).

* Information, Feedback and Monitoring Mechanisms: Consumers and producers need appropriate information on their effects of their behavior and feed-back about achievements. policy makers need information to be able to shape and adjust their policies. Authorities, producers and NGOs should work together to develop information tools like labels and feedback instruments ( e.g. the Personal Lifestyle Test, Netherlands). Governments should develop an international framework for indicators on sustainable consumption. Media could help to present an attractive image of sustainable consumption by promoting quality over quantity.

* Establishing the Incentive Framework: Price signals in the market remain one of the most effective incentives to industry and consumers to produce and consume more sustainable. A strategy of internalizing costs (through a reform of existing tax systems) must be pursued. Taxes should be shifted from labor to natural resources.

Ministry of Housing, Spatial Planning and Environment, Facilities for a Sustainable Household Workshop, Zeist, The Netherlands, January 1995