1. The Future of Sustainable Products and Services
Essen, 28-29 September, 2009
Project Incubator – Lifestyle
Introduction
Presented by
Satu Lähteenoja,
Satu Lähteenoja CSCP
UNEP / Wuppertal Institute Collaborating Centre on Sustainable Consumption and
Production

2. What is a “sustainable lifestyle”?
According to the Marrakech Task Force on Sustainable Lifestyles…
“Sustainable lifestyles are patterns of action and consumption, used by people
to affiliate and differentiate themselves from others, which:
• Meet basic needs,
• Provide a better quality of life,
• Minimise the use of natural resources and emissions of waste
and pollutants over the lifecycle, and
• Do not jeopardise the needs of future generations.“
Sustainable lifestyles should reflect specific cultural, natural, economic and
social heritage of each society.
Source: UNEP DTIE 2007,
Concept Paper on Sustainable Lifestyles
Satu Lähteenoja cscp | www.scp-centre.org The Future of Sustainable Products and Services, Essen, 28-29 Sept 2009 2

3. Focus on the Western lifestyles
Images © Peter Menzel
Germany Bhutan
70t 0.5t
per capita and year per capita and year
3
Satu Lähteenoja cscp | www.scp-centre.org The Future of Sustainable Products and Services, Essen, 28-29 Sept 2009 3

4. Lifestyle can make a difference!
Summary of the households TMR
140.000
120.000
100.000
kg/person/year
80.000
60.000
40.000
20.000
0
Leisure time activities Tourism Goods and appliances Mobility
Waste management Packaging Foodstuffs Housing
Source: FIN-MIPS Household research project
Satu Lähteenoja cscp | www.scp-centre.org The Future of Sustainable Products and Services, Essen, 28-29 Sept 2009 4

5. Sustainable Lifestyle Award
lndividuals International,
Lifestyle Focus on
Western
Lifestyles
Sustainable Lifestyle Award
Ecological and Interesting,
Competition:
Social Creative,
Create groups
Aspects Sustainable
in Companies,
Schools,
cities..
Satu Lähteenoja cscp | www.scp-centre.org The Future of Sustainable Products and Services, Essen, 28-29 Sept 2009 5

6. Need to focus on what is relevant
Satu Lähteenoja cscp | www.scp-centre.org The Future of Sustainable Products and Services, Essen, 28-29 Sept 20096 6

7. Group work
Group work on Sustainable Lifestyles Award
Brainstorming roundtables:
What should be asked to get
1 How to assess sustainable lifestyles? information on sustaianble lifestyle
of an individual?
Which organisations should be
2 How to organise the award? involved? Where to find funding?
3 How to promote and communicate the How to promote an international award?
lifestyle award? How to communicate about the results?
Satu Lähteenoja cscp | www.scp-centre.org The Future of Sustainable Products and Services, Essen, 28-29 Sept 2009 7