Negotiating Sustainable Consumption Practices in Online Communities

This paper considers the diverse ways in which mainstream consumers negotiate sustainability within their everyday consumption practices, through the exploration of an on-line consumption community dedicated to sustainability.... [ view full abstract ]

This paper considers the diverse ways in which mainstream consumers negotiate sustainability within their everyday consumption practices, through the exploration of an on-line consumption community dedicated to sustainability. Drawing from practice theory, this research paper pays heed to the various forms of competence, material objects and meanings that configure the sustainable practices of the online community members. This paper is based on a netnographic research methodology; an adaptation of participant-observational ethnographic procedures used to study the cultures and communities that have emerged online. Thus, the data collected from the fieldwork consists of field notes and various on-topic discussions posted onto the community site. The findings demonstrate that sustainability is an ongoing process for the members of the community. The two emergent themes illustrated in the findings; namely consuming responsibly and being resourceful and becoming more self-sufficient demonstrate some of the sustainable practices; ways of ‘doing’ that consumers engage in, as part of their everyday lives.