Promoting Sustainable Living: Sustainability As an Object of Desire

Current images of sustainability are often designed to instil fear and force change, not because we believe in it, but because we fear the consequences of inaction.

Moving away from negative portrayals of sustainability, this book identifies the factors that motivate people to aspire towards sustainable living. It introduces the notion of sustainability as an "object of desire" that will allow people not to be scared of the future but rather to dream about it and look forward to a better quality of life. Tracing the history of major changes in our society that have dramatically altered our perceptions, beliefs and attitudes about sustainability, the book analyses the role of communications in persuading people of the benefits of sustainable living. It describes our current desires and dreams and explains why we need to change. Finally, the book suggests what could be done to not only make sustainability an object of desire, but also introduce hopes and dreams for a better future into our everyday lives.

This inspiring and interdisciplinary book provides innovative insights for researchers, students and professionals in a range of disciplines, in particular environment and sustainability, sustainable marketing and advertising, and psychology.

Justyna Karakiewicz is Associate Professor and Coordinator of  the Master of Urban Design at the Faculty of Architecture Building and Planning, The University of Melbourne, Australia.

Audrey Yue is Associate Professor at the School of Culture and Communication, The University of Melbourne, Australia.

Angela Paladino is Associate Professor at the Department of Management and Marketing, The University of Melbourne, Australia.