scholarly journals Circular Economy in Mexico’s Electronic and Cell Phone Industry: Recent Evidence of Consumer Behavior

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (21) ◽  
pp. 7744
Author(s):  
Daniela Cordova-Pizarro ◽  
Ismael Aguilar-Barajas ◽  
Ciro A. Rodriguez ◽  
David Romero

Circular Economy (CE) models are increasingly referenced in international fora and on many countries’ climate action agendas. This emphasis is associated with the international environmental and climate crisis. The case of the electronics industry remains particularly relevant, given its background in the use of CE models and its potential to enhance their use. This work focuses on consumer behavior regarding electronics products in Mexico. This is a largely under-researched topic not only in Mexico but also in Latin America. This study demonstrates that, by trying to extend the lifespan of their electronic products, consumers have awareness of product circularity. However, there is a lack of incentives to capitalize on this consumer interest, compounded by the limited participation of manufacturers and distributors. It is concluded that with a well-designed public policy, the electronics industry (including the mobile phone sector) in Mexico can move toward a CE model more rapidly. A stronger initiative for CE by design should be part of these policies, not only in Mexico but also internationally. The role of better eco-labelling in promoting consumers’ environmental awareness is essential. The lessons of this case study might be of interest to other countries as well.

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 935 ◽  
Author(s):  
Susanne Stoll-Kleemann ◽  
Tim O’Riordan

This paper reassesses the scope for shifting high-carbon personal behaviors in the light of prevailing insufficient political and regulatory action. Our previous research has shown that citizens regard such behavioral shifts as extremely daunting and create a number of psychological denial mechanisms that draw attention to the inaction of others, including governments. Further theoretical insights and relevant new findings have been attained from a more recent survey of more than 1000 German residents. This reveals that direct denial of anthropogenic climate change is replaced by a denial of responsibility for individual climate action. Ways of moral disengagement play a more dominant role, such as the diffusion and displacement of responsibility, although a majority is aware of—and very much concerned about—the climate crisis. More attention needs to be given for further reinterpretation of the role of moral disengagement to single out adequate strategies for different individuals and groups of people, such as making role models more visible to encourage social learning that could accelerate further necessary moral and behavioral transformations.


2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (16) ◽  
pp. 6299
Author(s):  
Makenzie MacKay ◽  
Brenda Parlee ◽  
Carrie Karsgaard

While there are many studies about the environmental impacts of climate change in the Canadian north, the role of Indigenous youth in climate governance has been a lesser focus of inquiry. A popularized assumption in some literature is that youth have little to contribute to discussions on climate change and other aspects of land and resource management; such downplay of youth expertise and engagement may be contributing to climate anxiety (e.g., feelings of hopelessness), particularly in remote communities. Creating opportunities for youth to have a voice in global forums such as the United Nations Conference of Parties (COP24) on Climate Change may offset such anxiety. Building on previous research related to climate action, and the well-being of Indigenous youth, this paper shares the outcomes of research with Indigenous youth (along with family and teachers) from the Mackenzie River Basin who attended COP24 to determine the value of their experience. Key questions guiding these interviews included: How did youth impact others? and How did youth benefit from the experience? Key insights related to the value of a global experience; multiple youth presentations at COP24 were heard by hundreds of people who sought to learn more from youth about their experience of climate change. Additional insights were gathered about the importance of family and community (i.e., webs of support); social networks were seen as key to the success of youth who participated in the event and contributed to youth learning and leadership development.


Religions ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 279
Author(s):  
Ruby Guyatt

What is the role of hope in the climate crisis? What type of hope does this crisis demand? How can we sustain hope, in order to resist falling into fatalistic despair or paralyzing fear, whilst always guarding against hope giving way to happy complacency? This essay considers these urgent questions through a novel encounter between the Christian philosophy of Søren Kierkegaard, and recent eco-critical and empirical research on the affectivity of climate change mobilization. I begin by outlining the scope and aims of this essay (1st section), before introducing some affective dimensions of the climate crisis (2nd section), particularly the place of hope. Next, I examine Kierkegaard’s account of hope, and explore the extent to which it corresponds to the type of hope needed in the climate crisis (3rd section). Here, I show that Kierkegaardian hope is a therapeutic practice which subverts the eco-anxiety and sense of helplessness that can otherwise prevent individuals from engaging in positive climate action. Finally, I compare Kierkegaard’s theologically grounded hope with the hope held by climate change activists without religious faith (4th section). Participating in collective climate action anchors the individual’s hopes in a larger, collective hope, which I suggest is sustainable in ways that are partially analogous to the therapeutic functions of Kierkegaard’s Christian hope.


Urban Studies ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 55 (2) ◽  
pp. 332-348 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ann Foss

Cities are often touted as climate change leaders in the USA and all cities across the country are affected by climate change, but little is known about climate action in politically conservative cities. Using document analysis and interviews, an in-depth case study of two cities in the conservative Dallas-Fort Worth region of Texas examines how public participation and cultural framing contribute to sustainability and climate change planning. One city successfully adopted sustainability plans, while the other city was unable to do so. Comparison of the two cases reveals that carefully designed public participation processes and locally relevant cultural frames can help cities educate residents, build support and expand discussion of sustainability. However, economic development, competition and political controversy prevent cities from addressing climate change explicitly or in meaningful ways, raising concerns about the capacity of cities to act as climate change leaders.


2019 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
pp. 238-257
Author(s):  
Maria G. Lucchetti ◽  
Luisa Paolotti ◽  
Lucia Rocchi ◽  
Antonio Boggia

Abstract The present work aims to analyse the environmental advantages of a production process that applies circular economy. The study examines a product that is generated through the use of a certain percentage of recovered secondary materials, thus helping to avoid impacts related to the disposal of these materials and preserving the ecosystems from indiscriminate excessive natural resources extraction. The product analysed is an ecological detergent (“Ri-Detersivo” – Re-Detergent), produced by the company Tea Natura, mainly composed of regenerated vegetable oils coming from food industry. The methodology used in this paper is Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). A partial LCA will be carried out here, arriving at the saponification phase, and comparing the environmental impacts deriving from the Re-Detergent production process with those of a traditional soap, comparable to that studied in terms of function. The analysis of the case study found that the use of regenerated vegetable oils for the production of soap allows to significantly reduce the environmental impacts compared to the use of coconut oil imported from third countries.


2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (20) ◽  
pp. 8300
Author(s):  
Alexandre O. Tavares ◽  
Neide P. Areia ◽  
Sinead Mellett ◽  
Julia James ◽  
Diego S. Intrigliolo ◽  
...  

Beyond other social actors, such as policymakers and scholars, common citizens are also expected to actively engage with climate change, by adopting sustainable actions and supporting environmental policies. However, and despite the actual growing of environment-related social movements, a kind of inertia still prevails in the social climate of our society. The media should play a key role in promoting, among common individuals, the adoption of new and more sustainable practices. However, it is argued that the media seems to be failing to effectively address the climate crisis. As such, this study aims to identify the main weaknesses of climate change media communication to further discuss possible opportunities of communication improvements. For that, 1609 news articles published between 2017 and 2018 in five European countries were analyzed in-depth, through quantitative content analysis. The news’ general characteristics, specifically reported themes, and the specificities of actors’ discourses were taken into account for the analysis. It was verified that the European media tends to report climate change by using distant (e.g., future-focused) and outcome (e.g., threatening messages) framings, based on non-resilient, scientific, and political narratives, whilst overlooking the role of civil society on adapting to climate change. These results demonstrate that instead of promoting society’s climate action, the media may be contributing to a widespread social apathy about the climate and the disengagement of individuals regarding environment-related matters. Evidence-based forms of improving the media’s communication on climate change will be further discussed.


Procedia CIRP ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 73 ◽  
pp. 216-221 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gianmarco Bressanelli ◽  
Federico Adrodegari ◽  
Marco Perona ◽  
Nicola Saccani

2021 ◽  
Vol 40 (1) ◽  
pp. 53-68
Author(s):  
Veera Turku ◽  
Ari Jokinen ◽  
Pekka Jokinen

This paper examines the role of cultural actors in promoting sustainability in an urban living lab (ULL). The case study utilizes thematic analysis on the interviews of cultural actors working in the multi-sectoral, circular-economy oriented Hiedanranta ULL in Tampere. The results of the study show, first, that the cultural sector is not detached from the innovative business and experimentation sector of the ULL. On the contrary, cultural actors advance creative ambience and co-develop experimentations, making them an essential part of the ULL innovation processes. Second, cultural actors promote social and cultural sustainability at the local level, which often stays hidden in the processes of upscaling innovations. Third, the sustainable and transformative potential of cultural actors, within and beyond the ULL is mostly horizontal. The results suggest that the cultural sector, comprising civil society actors, can have a multidimensional effect on ULL development.  


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (20) ◽  
pp. 11168
Author(s):  
Juli Nurdiana ◽  
Maria Laura Franco-Garcia ◽  
Michiel Adriaan Heldeweg

The role of the circular economy has attracted increased attention amongst practitioners and policymakers in recent years. It has been broadly developed and applied at different levels (micro, meso and macro) in developed countries. However, to date, the possibility of a circular economy in Indonesia has not been widely explored or discussed by city actors. This gap in research represents an opportunity to investigate options that may foster the adoption of circular economy principles and practices. Which aspects of the circular economy should be of primary concern, considering Indonesia’s current situation? In response to this question, this paper offers a systemic process of lessons learnt as developed from the literature, identifying certain key aspects that could benefit Indonesia. This study mapped important factors and key indicators that have been claimed to have beneficial effects in the application of circular economy principles in cities. The authors developed a protocol to systematize the literature review process to illustrate gaps and to provide and recommend indicators for circular cities. These are equally applicable to the local situation in North Kalimantan, which we selected as a showcase medium-sized city. Empirical data was collected by interviewing different stakeholders to enrich the theoretical set of circular economy indicators. This case study offered the opportunity to gain a more realistic understanding of what circular cities might look like in the Indonesian situation. The findings allowed us to explore and describe the current circular economy city-level discussion. They also provide insight and information for decision-makers and city actors on how to collaborate to develop a framework to advance circular city initiatives.


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