Becoming Eco-Logical With Second-Order Systems Theory: Sustainability In Re-Organization Of Economies And Food Systems

Ecological Economics has emerged across disciplines, and has begun to disentangle, not only the relationship between biophysical earth systems and economic activity, but also, fundamental relationships between objectivity, power, value, ethics, perspective and purpose. In part, this thesis represents an effort to illustrate basic transdisciplinary concepts necessary for understanding the project of Ecological Economics. At present, Ecological Economics is challenged by a seemingly infinite number of available considerations, with a relatively narrow repertoire of impactful mechanisms of control. Given this, it is apparent that the application of Cybernetics to Ecological Economics might provide insights. Cybernetics can help to lend concise language to manners for implementing control and also help to navigate the paradoxes which arise for self- regulating systems. While Cybernetics played an early role in the formulation of the relationship between the economy and an environment with available energy, second- order cybernetics can help to formulate the autonomy of Ecological Economics as a self-regulating system and shed light on the epistemology and ethics of circularity. The first article of this thesis identifies occasions when Ecological Economics has confronted circularity, and explores options moving forward. Ultimately, confronting paradox and circularity provide the means for the substantiation of Ecological Economics. The food system is prominent within Ecological Economics discourse. It serves as a good example of the ‘emergence’ of coordinated activity. In Cybernetics jargon, we can think of the ‘Food System’ as a symbol for the redundancy found in linked characteristics of particular Ecological-Economic inquiry. For instance, when we consider the food system we can be sure that we are dealing with resources that are essential, both rival and non-rival, excludable and non-excludable, and also highly sensitive to boundaries in scope, and scale, and thus highly sensitive to political and social change. In this sense, the food system acts as a symbol for the coordination of activity, and produces an output which is an input to the Ecological Economic ‘boundary’ between the Economy and the Ecosystem. The second article of this thesis provides an analysis of GHG emissions within the Chittenden County Foodshed. We conclude that urban agriculture, dietary change and agro-ecological production in concert, provide emission reductions which are not achieved when these options are considered separately. Given these conditions, we see mitigation beyond 90% of current emissions

RESPONSIBILITY AND SUSTAINABILITY IN THE OUTDOOR CLOTHING INDUSTRY based on the website communication of the brands in 2009 and 2021

Tämä pitkittäistutkimus on laadullinen tapaustutkimus ulkoiluvaatealan vastuullisuudesta ja kestävästä kehityksestä. Tutkimuksessa verrataan kahdentoista ulkoiluvaateyrityksen verkkosivustoilla vuosina 2009 ja 2021 keräämääni aineistoa. Tutkimuksen ensimmäinen osa tehtiin vuosina 2007-2009. Tutkin ulkoiluvaatemerkkien vastuullisten toimien viestintää niiden verkkosivustoilla. Sen jälkeen käytin verkkosisällön analyysia aineiston tulkintaan. Aineistoa analysoitiin sekä deduktiivisesti että induktiivisesti. Käytin Sustainable Apparel Coalitionin Higg Index -työkalua teemojen koodaamiseen ja poimin teemoja myös induktiivisesti aineistosta. Kestävää kehitystä ja vastuullisuutta on tutkittu laajasti, mutta en löytänyt tutkimusta vastuullisuuden kokonaisvaltaisesta tarkastelusta ulkoiluvaatealalla. Keskityin teoreettisessa taustatyössäni vastuullisuuden kahteen näkökulmaan, ympäristö- ja sosiaaliseen vastuullisuuteen. Tärkeimmät aiheet olivat kaikki toimitusketjun vaiheet, mukaan lukien materiaalit, eläinten hyvinvointi ja työntekijöiden oikeuksien periaatteet. Suurin osa vaatetusalan nykyisestä tutkimuksesta keskittyy pikamuotiin, ei erityisesti ulkoiluvaatteisiin. Ulkoiluvaatteiden tekninen luonne asettaa kuitenkin erilaisia vaatimuksia toimitusketjulle. Lisäksi ulkoiluvaateala on yhteydessä luontoon, ja siksi sen odotetaan olevan vastuullinen ja ympäristöystävällinen. Tässä tutkimuksessa tutkittiin näiden 12 yrityksen julkista viestintää vastuullisuudesta niiden verkkosivustoilla vuosina 2009 ja 2021. Näin ollen niiden verkkosivustoilla olevat tiedot eivät välttämättä vastaa sitä, mitä ne ovat tehneet tosielämässä. Toisaalta yritykset ovat voineet tehdä jotain muuta, mitä ne eivät vielä mainitse julkisesti.Tämän tutkimuksen tavoitteena oli ymmärtää, miten viestittyjä vastuullisuustoimia parannettiin kahdentoista vuoden aikana. Päätutkimuskysymyksenä oli: Miten valittujen ulkoiluvaateyritysten verkkosivujen viestintä on muuttunut kestävän kehityksen ja vastuullisuuden osalta vuosien 2009 ja 2021 välillä? Tutkimuksen ensimmäisen vaiheen johtopäätöksenä esitin: Ulkoilualan yritykset eivät voisi selviytyä liiketoiminnassa ilman ympäristövastuun tiedostamista, koska kuluttajien ympäristötietoisuus alkoi lisääntyä jo vuonna 2009. Totesin vuonna 2009, että ”ulkoiluala on herännyt ottamaan vastuuta ja alkanut työskentelemään kestävän kehityksen puolesta”. Tutkimuksessa pyrittiin selvittämään, mitä oli tapahtunut viime vuosikymmenen aikana. Monet jo vuonna 2009 todetut vastuullisuustoimet ovat edelleen ajankohtaisia. Tämän tutkimuksen tuloksena oli, että ympäristöhaasteet olivat muuttuneet entistä monimutkaisemmiksi, ja uusia on tullut esiin. Viime vuosikymmenen nousevia aiheita olivat muun muassa ilmastonmuutos, PFC-yhdisteet, mikromuovit ja eläin ten hyvinvointi. Viime vuosikymmenen aikana ovat nousseet esiin ja saaneet enemmän huomiota sosiaalisen vastuun kysymykset, kuten pakkotyö, elämiseen riittävä palkka sekä terveys ja turvallisuus. Vastuullinen toimitusketjun hallinta edellyttää usein yhteistyötä tuotemerkkien, toimialajärjestöjen, voittoa tavoittelemattomien järjestöjen, standardointiorganisaatioiden ja kansalaisjärjestöjen välillä. Brändien osallistuminen vastuullisuusjärjestöihin ja kolmannen osapuolen auditointeihin on lisääntynyt. Lopuksi totean, että viime vuosikymmenen aikana vastuullisuudesta ja kestävästä kehityksestä on tullut erottamaton osa ulkoiluvaatetusalaa.This research study is a longitudinal qualitative case study on the responsibility and sustainability in the outdoor clothing industry. The study compared the data I collected from the websites of 12 selected outdoor clothing companies between 2009 and 2021. The first part of this study was performed between 2007 and 2009. I studied the responsible actions of the outdoor brands on their websites and then used online content analysis to interpret the data. The data were analyzed both deductively and inductively. I also used the Sustainable Apparel Coalition’s Higg Index tool for coding themes, as well as picking themes inductively from the data. A broad body of existing research has addressed specific sustainability issues, but I was unable to find a study providing a holistic view of responsibility in the outdoor industry. I concentrated my theoretical background on two aspects of responsibility, environmental and social responsibility. The major topics were the phases of the supply chain, including materials, animal welfare, and principles of workers’ rights. Most of the existing research in the clothing field has concentrated on fast fashion, not specifically on outdoor clothing. However, the technical nature of outdoor clothing requires different standards for the supply chain. Additionally, the outdoor clothing industry is related to nature and therefore expected to be sustainable. This study investigated the 12 companies’ public communication about responsibility on their websites in 2009 and 2021. This information does not necessarily correlate with what the companies have done in real life or whether they took further action beyond their public communications. Rather, the objective of this study was to understand how communicated responsibility actions were improved in 12 years. The main research question was as follows: How has selected outdoor clothing companies’ websites’ communication changed regarding sustainability and responsibility between 2009 and 2021? As a final remark on the study’s first phase, I suggested that outdoor brands could not survive in the business without acknowledging environmental responsibility as consumers’ environmental awareness was increasing, even in 2009. I concluded that “the outdoor industry has awakened to take responsibility and started to work for sustainable development.” Further, this study aimed to determine what progress has happened over the past decade, and it concluded that many factors stated in 2009 are still accurate. The study found that the environmental challenges have become more complex, and new topics have emerged. Some of the emerging topics of the past decade are climate change, PFCs, microplastics, and animal welfare. Furthermore, social responsibility issues, such as forced labor, a living wage, and health and safety, have garnered attention. Responsible supply chain management often requires collaboration between brands, industry associations, non-profits, standards, and non-governmental organizations. Thus, the brands’ involvement in responsibility organizations and third-party auditioning has increased. I conclude that the past decade has rendered responsibility and sustainability inseparable parts of the outdoor clothing business

Situating Data

Taking up the challenges of the datafication of culture, as well as of the scholarship of cultural inquiry itself, this collection contributes to the critical debate about data and algorithms. How can we understand the quality and significance of current socio-technical transformations that result from datafication and algorithmization? How can we explore the changing conditions and contours for living within such new and changing frameworks? How can, or should we, think and act within, but also in response to these conditions? This collection brings together various perspectives on the datafication and algorithmization of culture from debates and disciplines within the field of cultural inquiry, specifically (new) media studies, game studies, urban studies, screen studies, and gender and postcolonial studies. It proposes conceptual and methodological directions for exploring where, when, and how data and algorithms (re)shape cultural practices, create (in)justice, and (co)produce knowledge

Energy Efficiency

Energy efficiency is finally a common sense term. Nowadays almost everyone knows that using energy more efficiently saves money, reduces the emissions of greenhouse gasses and lowers dependence on imported fossil fuels. We are living in a fossil age at the peak of its strength. Competition for securing resources for fuelling economic development is increasing, price of fuels will increase while availability of would gradually decline. Small nations will be first to suffer if caught unprepared in the midst of the struggle for resources among the large players. Here it is where energy efficiency has a potential to lead toward the natural next step - transition away from imported fossil fuels! Someone said that the only thing more harmful then fossil fuel is fossilized thinking. It is our sincere hope that some of chapters in this book will influence you to take a fresh look at the transition to low carbon economy and the role that energy efficiency can play in that process

CSR approach: "Quot homines, tot sententiae". Corporate social responsibility practices of the oil and gas companies operating in the Arctic

Masteroppgave i Energy management - Nord universitet, 201

Consumer perceived brand authenticity and sustainable marketing in the UK fast fashion sector

The thesis considers challenges in sustainability marketing in the fast fashion sector. This is in light of discourse by some commentators in relation to perceived unsustainable brand image and misinterpretation in communications between consumers and fast fashion enterprises. The thesis suggests that through the contribution of brand authenticity, the desired trustworthiness could be enhanced so that unsustainable brand image can be reformed to contribute to a more sustainability-oriented brand image. Meanwhile, the improved communications can be utilised to deliver sustainability-related information to consumers. The study utilised qualitative research methods, including focus group and in-depth interview, and used thematic analysis to build theory and address research questions. In addition to providing a novel approach for marketing research in solving sustainability marketing problems, the results also suggest a means for fast fashion companies to enhance sustainability and sustainable brand image whilst maintaining a competitive advantage