ABSTRACT
Concerns are growing that the level of consumption witnessed in western societies today is simply unsustainable (WWF, 2008; Jackson, 2009). In particular, the energy used to produce our consumer goods is making a significant contribution to climate change. It is becoming increasingly recognized that western societies need to take responsibility for these emissions and reduce them (e.g. Wang and Watson, 2007). Not all consumption is negative, of course; amongst other things, material possessions provide us with our basic needs. They can play a role in developing and bonding communities (Douglas and Isherwood 1979; McCracken, 1988), and they can help us to express our identities (Belk, 1988; Campbell, 1997). However, current rates of consumption are unprecedented and, many argue, environmentally and socially unsustainable (e.g. Jackson, 2005).
