Changing Patterns on Sustainable Consumption and Production of Clothing - Case Study Example

TOPIC: Critically analyze the evidence for changing patterns in sustainable consumption and production in clothing or automotive construction. Looking at the evidence for development of greener business models and how we can encourage consumers to adopt more sustainable lifestyles. The major purpose of the report is to analyze the way in which people are changing their lifestyles in order to ensure a sustainable environment. The report seeks to examine the key steps that people are taking in order to live good lifestyles while still maintaining a healthy environment. In addition, the report not only examines individuals but also businesses. It assesses the way in which businesses are changing their production strategies in order to take care of the environment too. It investigates on how clothing industries are changing their production ways to keep a pure environment while also producing long term clothes (Ha, 2012, 62). The report also seeks to give evidence of the conservation strategies that have already been put into use; such as the greener business models. The other purpose of the report is to give the approaches that can be used to encourage consumers to adopt better lifestyles that conserve the environment (Henderson & Sethi, 2006, 13). The data used in the report was obtained from the society and reports given by different consumers and cloth industries. Online sources have also been used in order to analyze the reports of individuals who could not be easily reached. Other data sources include journals by scholars about people’s lifestyles in relation to environmental conservation. Different research approaches have also been used in order to obtain the information used. For instance; questionnaires were issued to consumers in order to find out how they had changed their lifestyles in order to conserve the environment. Interviews were also conducted to obtain primary data from different organizations. Employees of different cloth industries also gave information concerning green business models. However, the foremost research approach that has been applied is the qualitative research approach. This assesses the changes in the human behavior, changes in their beliefs and changes in their emotions in relation to the environment. The research seeks to give the pattern of the changing lifestyles of people. Outline of the content The report begins with a literature review of past studies made about environmental conservation. This section gives the process that businesses have used in the past in order to achieve their goals about environment. The section also gives the strategies that were used in the past by both producers and consumers. The next section gives the findings of the report. It mainly outlines the evidence for change of consumption patterns of consumers and production patterns for producers. Finally, the section outlines the strategies that can be used to encourage consumers to adopt sustainable lifestyles. The last section of the report gives a conclusion with the key strategies that can be used and the principal findings of the current situation in the economy. This section also gives the recommendations that are to be followed in order to achieve the set objectives. Literature Review Many scholars have done a lot of research concerning the issue of green clothing and change of individuals’ lifestyles to conserve the environment. Some scholars provide that in order to ensure a green economy, human consumption would have to change (Milani, 2000, 20). Consumption would have to be planned in order to be in accordance with the production so as to keep the markets in operation. This will ensure that while consumers strive to conserve the environment, they will be able to obtain products that help them to accomplish their goals. For instance; consumers can change into renewable energy sources (Gunkel, 2006, 24). This is mainly argued from the point of view that; consumers can decide to change their lifestyles into more sustainable living but if the producers do not make the same decision too, then the consumers will not succeed in their decision. This is because; they will not find the right products in the market to help them in conserving the environment. Makower & Pike, state that a green economy will involve strategies such as prevention of pollution, waste reduction, and energy efficiency (Makower & Pike, 2008, 10). The scholars also state that the journey to green businesses did not start recently, but organizations have been struggling with the issue for a number of years now. Previously, businesses engaged in activities such as zero waste, closed loop factories with no smokestacks, drain pipes, or dumpsters (Miller, 2010, 37). Scholars have also found out that environmental thinking is extremely beneficial since it would lead to innovation, new markets, and new business opportunities (Croston, 2008, 45). This is because; businesses would strive to seek new products that are environment friendly. For instance; the clothing industry has found cotton more durable, cheap and environment friendly. This has led to a positive impact to the environment, the industry and the economy (Jeffery, Grosvenor & Barclay, 2008, 216). Therefore, green clothing are a way of forcing innovation on the industries. In addition, individuals will come up with business opportunities that aim at conserving the environment (Makower & Pike, 2008, 12). Other scholars assert that; the main reason as to why businesses have not fully succeeded in their struggle for green businesses is that; they have not focused on the issue with certainty and seriousness (Cohen, 2011, 67). This is especially illustrated by how the process of adopting green businesses was handled in stages. For instance, in the beginning the businesses only focused at ensuring that they did not cause any harm on consumers or the rest of the environment through their production. The second stage only focused on doing ‘good enough’. This ensured that businesses controlled their production in order to ensure that they are operating in such a way that they help both the economy and the consumers. Today, businesses aim at obtaining a sustainable environment by going green (Friend, Kordesch & Privitt, 2009, 28). Ensuring the sustainability of the environment is not only a duty of the businesses but also a duty of consumers and all other people inhabiting the globe (Merino-Blanco & Razzaque, 2012, 30). Findings and Evaluation One crucial verdict of the research that should be noted is that; the journey to a sustainable environment is a duty of all individuals inhabiting the environment. This involves businesses, individuals and consumers. Each person should feel obliged to conserve the environment in order for the results to be obtained. The research also found evidence showing that consumers are indeed changing their lifestyles for the sake of the environment. For instance, consumers have changed their sources of energy in their homes. Most consumers have also changed from the use of charcoal and firewood to other sources such as biomass and fossil fuels (Johansson & Burnham, 2007, 18). In addition, consumers have changed their clothing styles. Most of the consumers these days prefer durable clothes so that they reduce the disposal rate of old clothes. Therefore, consumers will go for clothes that are more durable to avoid replacement after a short period. The research found that businesses and factories are also playing a vital part in ensuring that the environment is conserved. Clothing industries are ensuring green clothing by reducing production of clothes that require dry cleaning (Ha, 2012, 133). This is because; dry cleaners leave residue effluents in the cloth that are emitted into the air contributing to unhealthy indoor air. In addition, cloth industries dealing with chemicals ensure safe disposal of waste so that the waste is prevented from entering such areas as rivers, or the earth ground. More evidence of achieving sustainable production can be shown by organizations coming up with green vehicles for the transportation of the produced clothes. Green vehicles are cars which create less damage to the environment since; unlike the tradition cars, they do not run solely on petrol (R.I.C Publications, 2008, 67). Strategies to encourage consumers to adopt more sustainable lifestyles The greatest player that can encourage the consumer to adopt a sustainable lifestyle is the producer. This is because; it is the producer who determines what the consumer will wear. Therefore, the producers can encourage consumers to adopt sustainable consumption by ensuring a sustainable production. This implies that producers should produce clothes that are favorable to the environment when they grow old. For instance, if the producers use environment friendly wrappings for their clothes, then the consumers will also be encouraged to dispose the wrappings well after use of the product. The government can also encourage both producers and consumers by imposing policies which allow for environmental conservation. For instance, producers could be prohibited from disposing effluents in a certain manner. In addition, the government can also prescribe a way in which the producers should treat their emissions before releasing them to the environment. The government can also encourage consumers by specifying the fuels that should be used by all consumers who own vehicles. Another strategy that has been embraced by clothing industries in order to ensure green clothing is use of recycled products to produce different types of fabric. For instance; in the USA recycled soft drink bottles are used to make padding fabric. Statistics taken in the cloth industries showed that five recycled 2-litre soft drink bottles make enough fiberfill for a man’s ski jacket and thirty-five 2-litre bottles make enough fiberfill for a sleeping bag (Ha, 2012, 133). This way, clothing industries encourage environmental conservation by reducing the amount of waste from soft drink bottles in the environment. Conclusion Therefore to conclude, the main findings in the report include; evidence of participation of both producers and consumers in environmental management, evidence of environment conservation mechanisms and safe production methods. Some of the mechanisms and methods found by the report include the use of energy conserving methods, treatment of effluents before releasing them to the environment and proper disposal of other waste products. It is also clear that the government has a part to play in environmental conservation since; it is the only one that can impose the crucial environmental policies (Pearce, Barbier, & Markandya,1994, 3). Recommendations Unity is particularly beneficial as a way of conserving the environment. This implies that; all clothing industries, consumers and all other living things will have to work together in order to achieve the set goals. People should also understand that environmental conservation is hugely essential since it benefits each living person. Therefore, businesses should change their production methods and adopt methods that are favorable to the environment. In addition, consumers should also change their consumption ways. For instance, those using firewood as a source of heat should find better strategies in order to achieve the goal of sustainability (Johansson & Burnham, 2007, 11). References Cohen, N. (2011), Green business: An A-to-Z guide, Los Angeles, Sage Publications Croston, G. E. (2008), 75 green businesses you can start to make money and make a difference, Irvine, CA, Entrepreneur Press Friend, G., Kordesch, N., & Privitt, B. (2009), The truth about green business, Upper Saddle River, N.J, FT Press Gunkel, D. (2006), In Alternative energy sources, Detroit, Greenhaven Press Ha, T. (2012), Greeniology 2020: Greener Living Today, and in the Future, Carlton, Melbourne University Publishing Ha, T. (2007), The green office: How to live well, be green and make a difference, Carlton, Vic, Melbourne University Press Henderson, H., & Sethi, S. (2006), Ethical markets: Growing the green economy, White River Junction, Vt, Chelsea Green Pub. Co Jeffery, Y., Grosvenor, M., & Barclay, L. (2008), Green living for dummies, Indianapolis, IN, Wiley Pub., Inc Johansson, T. B., & Burnham, L. (2007), Renewable energy: Sources for fuels and electricity, Washington, D.C, Island Press Makower, J., & Pike, C. (2009), Strategies for the green economy: Opportunities and challenges in the new world of business. New York, McGraw-Hill Merino-Blanco, E., & Razzaque, J. (2012), Natural resources and the green economy: Redefining the challenges for people, states and corporations, Leiden, Martinus Nijhofff Publishers Milani, B. (2000), Designing the Green Economy: The Post-Industrial Alternative to Corporate Globalization, Miller, D. A. (2010), The green movement. Detroit, Greenhaven Press Pearce, D. W., Barbier, E. B., & Markandya, A. (1994), Blueprint for a green economy, London, Earthscan Publ R.I.C. Publications, (2008), Investigating renewable energy: Fun hands-on activities and investigations to explore energy. Greenwood, WA, RIC Publications Read More