Desafios do consumo sustentável nas classes populares do Brasil: estudo da relação entre as práticas cotidianas de consumo e seus níveis de sustentabilidade

Abstract

Sustainability implies the concept that the future of the global population will be influenced by the actions currently undertaken and that it reflects the transformation occurring in time and space towards the social, economic and environmental principles. Sustainable consumption is a theme that has been prominent in discussions between governments and international organizations as in recent researches, but still presents several opportunities to learn further investigation about the issue in the understanding of the behavior of today's consumers. Besides, the socio-economic group composed by the poor (popular) consumers have also been investigated in many aspects due to its importance in the growth and development of emerging countries, as Brazil has experienced the latest years. This research aims to cross these issues by analyzing both the sustainable consumption and the poor consumers, seeking to interpret their daily practices as their meanings to consumers within this social context. From an interpretive qualitative study, five Brazilian communities in the city of Porto Alegre and its metropolitan area were visited, investigates and experienced for obtaining results. Evidence allowed to reflect on the practices exercised within their levels of consumption and sustainability, thus fulfilling one of the research gaps suggested by previous studies. Through the visits, this study combined interviews with participant observatory research and surprisingly results showed that many of the everyday practices of consumption expressed in this socio-economic environment are sustainable and creative. Still, consumers surveyed also expressed some unsustainable practices that reflected specific habits. All practices found were interpreted by a solid theoretical foundation that allowed reflection and some connections from previous studies with present results. The reader is invited to soak in the description and interpretation of everyday consumption habits, sustainable or not, investigated at the social context of the popular classes of poor consumers studied.