Consumption

In addition to more sustainable and conscious purchasing behavior, the focus is also on more sustainable and conscious usage behavior. This includes sharing economy models such as “sharing, swapping, borrowing,” extended product use, more repairs, and more second-hand consumption.

The Information Portal "bewusstkaufen.at"

Consumers can make a significant contribution to environmental protection through their consumption and usage behavior. The initiative "Conscious Buying – Climate-Friendly Living" aims to raise consumer awareness and provides detailed information on conscious, sustainable consumption.

A wide range of topics related to climate-friendly lifestyles is offered. This results in a diverse mix of in-depth articles, shorter pieces on current topics, tips and inspiration for everyday life, information about events or reading recommendations, as well as guest contributions or interviews with green visionaries, sustainable start-ups, and experts.

To support purchasing decisions and bring transparency to the jungle of labels, quality seals on the Austrian market are reviewed according to defined sustainability criteria (=quality criteria), and the guidelines for the labels shown in the database (Label Compass) are continuously developed and checked for relevance. The platform’s tools also include an interactive sowing and seasonal calendar.

Website: Bewusst kaufen (in German only)
Facebook: Facebook – bewusstkaufen.at (in German only)
Instagram: Instagram – bewusstkaufen.at (in German only)

Sustainable Consumption Initiatives

Sustainable consumption initiatives are local projects in which citizens actively engage with creative solutions – from urban gardening to repair cafés. The following guide shows how you can find such initiatives, start your own, and become part of a movement that promotes sustainability and community.

Get involved and shape the future now:
https://www.bewusstkaufen.at/ratgeber/nachhaltige-konsuminitiativen-in-osterreich/ (in German only)

Publications

This report identifies priority areas for action where individuals have a wide range of options to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the fields of mobility, housing, nutrition, and everyday consumption.

The analysis also shows that sustainable consumption requires not only a fundamental individual willingness to act but also suitable framework conditions and contextual factors. Measures can be most effective when they also take social and spatial inequalities into account and address existing consumption patterns of different household types.

More information available at:
https://www.umweltbundesamt.at/fileadmin/site/publikationen/rep0898.pdf (in German only)