Sustainable Household Capability: which households are doing the work of environmental sustainability?

TLDR

The study develops a two‑stage cluster‑analysis framework to identify which households are actively contributing to environmental sustainability amid climate change. Using a large‑scale survey of Wollongong households, the framework segments participants by their self‑reported commitment to pro‑sustainability practices aligned with government policies. The analysis reveals that everyday sustainability practices vary widely, even among highly committed households, and that women, suburban‑detached dwellers, and lower‑income groups disproportionately perform the bulk of sustainable work.

Abstract

Abstract This paper presents a framework for analysing which households are doing ‘their bit’ for sustainability in an era of climate change, using a two-stage cluster analysis of sustainable household capabilities. The framework segments households by their reported level of commitment to ‘pro-sustainability’ practices common to conventional government policies. Results are presented from a large-scale survey of Wollongong households, New South Wales, Australia. Results illustrate the importance of approaching household sustainability through everyday practices. Attention is drawn to the wide variation in participation in specific household sustainability practices. Investigation into sustainable household capability by household segments shows the limits of even the most committed households. Results show the importance of socio-cultural contexts in differentiating sustainable household capabilities—with women, suburban-detached households and lower income segments of the population ultimately doing most of the work of being sustainable.