Since the late 1980s, green consumerism has been hailed in the West as an efficient solution to environmental problems. However, Chinese consumers have been slow to warm up to eco-friendly products. Consumers prefer SUVs to hybrid cars, health supplements and snake oil medicines to organic foods and eco-fashion is still secluded in high-end designer studios. These choices contradict the findings of many sustainable lifestyle surveys that claim to register a rising desire for green products among the Chinese. This book examines the psycho-cultural differences that disrupt the translation of "eco-friendly" appeals to China by analyzing environmental advertising. It explores the different notions of "green", the structures of desire that underlies the advertisements, and how they are shaped by ideological, cultural, and historical differences. Rather than arguing the superiority of the American or Chinese version of green consumerism, the book interrogates the role of advertising in the global spread of Western ideologies and explores the possibilities for consumers to resist transnational corporate hegemony in the green movement. This book fills an important gap in the critical scholarship on green marketing and should be of interest to students and scholars of environment studies, green advertising and marketing, environmental communication and media studies, China studies and environmental sociology, ethics and cultural studies.

Based on theories discussion, policy analysis, and case studies, this title examines green consumption in China from both the macro level of policy evolution and the micro level of community participation and implementation. Drawing on the theories of sustainable development, ecological philosophy, environmental economics, consumer psychology and behavior, and community participation, this book approaches the issues of green consumption in China from the legislative and administrative aspects and economic and information means. In looking into the cases of Shenzhen and Beijing, the book unravels the implementation and development of green consumption at the community level in terms of community participation and people’s awareness of the issue. Combining global experiences and local empirical studies, it discusses the concepts, evolution, and influencing factors of green consumption. It focuses on China's policy and practice, as well as the institutional hindrance and policy suggestions for further progress. This book will appeal to researchers, professionals, and policymakers interested in sustainable development, green economy, environmental economics, and sustainable consumption policy in China.

Households are one of the main sources of waste and of other environmental impacts. This is a study of domestic consumption. Drawing on empirical research largely from The Netherlands, it takes households as consumer units and examines the entire household metabolism. This includes the way domestic demand can influence where and how goods and services are produced, resource flows through households, and the differential impacts of different lifestyles. It shows both what would constitute sustainable domestic consumption and how far there is to go to achieve this.

One of the greatest global challenges is to integrate economic growth and welfare with environmental sustainability. The 12th goal under the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG-12) addresses this challenge by calling for sustainable consumption and production patterns. It is a holistic and responsible approach that entails the production, acquisition, consumption, and disposal of goods and services based on their pro-environmental benefits. Consumers want to act green, but they expect businesses to lead the way. As such, marketers are playing an important role in encouraging green consumerism by reinforcing sustainability in behavioral patterns. Actionable steps need to be taken to encourage sustainable consumption and align consumers’ behaviors with their stated preferences. Achieving Economic Growth and Welfare Through Green Consumerism offers a comprehensive analysis of green consumerism, taking into account the diversity of views and debates surrounding the ideology. The diversity of topics and multidisciplinary viewpoints offer an insightful overview of the nature of green consumerism, its manifestations, issues, and practices. Covering topics such as consumption behavior, green marketing tools, and purchasing behavior, this premier reference source is a pivotal resource for business leaders, business analysts, economists, marketers, students and educators of higher education, researchers, and academicians.