ABSTRACT
To what extent we as individuals and members of a household live a sustainable life depends on the choices we make in our everyday life. This means that the products we consume, the way we travel, the kind of appliances we use in our household, and the way we handle our household waste are all examples of behavioural choices with serious implications for the environment. In Chapter 2, the important relationship between the individual and the state was discussed. This relationship is important since much of the everyday pro-environmental behaviours households are expected to execute are policy directed. If the households perceive that they are left without support, that is, left to fend for themselves when it comes to the dos and don’ts within the realm of environmental behavioural choices, this might affect the degree of willingness for change. In order to achieve a change in a sustainable direction there is therefore a need to understand the diversity of factors important for the daily behaviours of citizens. For example, why do some people buy only organic foods and others don’t and what are the reasons for choosing to go by bicycle instead of taking the car? The complexity of everyday life in households has been discussed in depth in Chapter 3. Knowledge of different important factors for daily behaviour is important for the understanding of under what conditions different pro-environmental behaviours are carried out or not by individuals in households. In addition this accentuates the importance of knowledge about barriers and facilitators for policy-makers having to deal with issues of effectiveness and legitimacy, in the design of, for the public, acceptable pro-environmental policies.
