Circular Consumption in Everyday Life: Drawing Insights into the Creation of a Circular City

Abstract

Although individual consumption is the biggest contributor to cities’ carbon footprints, the link between personal actions and building a circular city remains narrowly researched. Similarly, the implications of the circular economy in individuals’’ everyday lives are not yet well known. This study bridges these research gaps by examining the impacts of circular consumption on urban neighborhood inhabitants’ everyday lives and by considering the relationship between individual consumption and the creation of a circular city. This qualitative research relies on interviews conducted with inhabitants, companies and a school of Tammela neighborhood. Results derived from a directed content analysis suggest that circular consumption is an advisable instrument for living in accordance with environmental values and promotes economic inclusion for individuals. However, circular consumption requires more consumption work from consumers compared to linear consumption. In conclusion, at the city level mainstreaming circular consumption might be achieved with policies aiming at (a) increasing environmental awareness and teaching circular skills and (b) enhancing convenient circular systems of provision to attract people with various values to engage in circular consumption, while considering the amount of consumption work required by the consumer.