Sustainable parenting in an unsustainable world

Household consumption and carbon-intensive lifestyles are one of the drivers of climate change (and a very studied one). But not all households are equal, be it because of income, location, size, etc. The challenges to move toward sustainable lifestyles, as well as the ability to change, are shaped by such differences. While socio-economical or geographical differences are more obvious to mention, this research, as part of a PhD thesis, rather takes a longitudinal approach and focuses on the impact of a « major life event » : becoming a parent.

The Green Parenthood Effect is a « » theoretical idea that parenthood increases proenvironmental engagement (i.e., attitudes, concerns, and behaviors » , but this idea is challenged by « 1) the countervailing force of the limitations parenthood places on people's time, money, and attention, and (2) the importance of baseline environmental values and beliefs, with the shift to parenthood intensifying latent beliefs into drivers for engagement. » (Shrum et al., 2023). This research aims to further explore this apparent tension between environmentalism and the practical limitations of parenthood, from a qualitative perspective and through the lens of practice theory.

Practices relevant to climate change mitigation were inquired in the fields of energy, food and mobility, to better understand the impact that welcoming children can have on the organization of daily life. While tensions and limitations were indeed found, opportunities to weave meanings of good parenting and environmentalism together also appeared in the analysis. You just need to come to the seminar to learn about it.

Next Sonya’s Seminars, save the dates: November 6, Louis Florin; November 27, Tais Sonetti Gonzales. 11 am