The environmental impact of singles' consumer behaviour: Is the lifestyle of singles inevitably environmentally more damaging?

Abstract

Population research in Western countries shows a rising number of singles living in oneperson households. The increase in one-person households is likely to accelerate consumption, deplete resources and degrade nature. Current studies show that solo-living consumes more land, energy, goods and materials per person than living in shared housing. However, even though these rapid demographical changes are having a serious effect on the environment, researchers have not examined the environmental aspects of singlehood in much detail. The purpose of the current study is to minutely determine the environmental and non-environmental aspects of single people's lifestyles. A combination of quantitative and qualitative approaches was used in the analysis of data gathered mostly via in-depth interviews and questionnaires regarding consumption. One of the most significant findings to emerge from this study is that environmentally-friendly changes of lifestyle can reduce the overall environmental impact of solo living.