Sustainable Lifestyles Research Group (SLRG)

What is the Sustainable Lifestyles Research Group?

The Sustainable Lifestyles Research Group will explore sustainable lifestyles. The group aims to achieve new understanding of the processes which lead to changes in people’s behaviour and practices and to provide advice on realistic strategies to encourage more sustainable lifestyles.

The group will be coordinated through the University of Surrey under the direction of Professor Tim Jackson. A variety of academic and non-academic institutions will also participate formally and informally in the activities of the group.

The group will be dedicated to building capacity for research in sustainable lifestyles amongst academics, young researchers, practitioners, and user communities. It will be a vital resource for policy-makers attempting to influence the behaviours and practices of households, business and communities.

The overall aims of the research include:

• develop an integrated, inter-disciplinary understanding of the relationship between human behaviour, social practices, technological systems and sustainability
• build a sound conceptual basis for understanding and influencing change processes aimed at sustainable living
• synthesise relevant findings from existing and ongoing research on behaviour, practices, lifestyle and social change in a form accessible to policy-makers
• develop primary research studies aimed at elucidating key social, psychological, and structural dimensions of lifecycle change
• engage in and evaluate action-research initiatives aimed at sustainability – at community, organisation and household levels
• undertake or commission targeted research to inform specific policy campaigns or strategies
• expand UK research capacity on sustainable living, providing a unique opportunity for the transfer of knowledge and experience between academic and non-academic communities
• promote the UK as an international centre of excellence in research and policy for sustainable living

Who will benefit?

It will be a vital resource for policy-makers attempting to influence the behaviours and practices of households, business and communities.

PROGRAMME FACTS AND FIGURES

Start and end date: 1 March 2010 to 28 August 2013

Website: http://www.sustainablelifestyles.ac.uk