Consumo e sustentabilidade: um levantamento do Comportamento de consumidores na cidade de Campina Grande/PB.

Abstract

The environmental crisis has been the subject of increasing discussion relevant and on the world stage and gave rise to the need for a new development model that seeks, in addition to economic viability, protection of the environment and social justice, called Sustainable Development. A major objective of this proposal is to modify current patterns and levels of consumption society, considered unsustainable due to the overexploitation of natural resources that do not consider the finiteness of natural systems, by themselves exceed the assimilative capacity of the tailings and the environment access to the riches produced be unfair and inequitable. Thus, there is a need to assess consumer behavior and trends for the adoption of standards and levels of sustainable consumption. In this sense, the aim of this study is to analyze the behavior of consumers in the areas of housing, transportation, food and durable goods and nondurable goods, in terms of sustainable consumption in the city of Campina Grande - PB. The rationale for conducting this research is faced with the need to understand the relationship between consumption and the environment and consumer behavior regarding their consumption practices to drive the adoption of strategies for sustainable practices. In this perspective, the main theoretical concepts needed for a better understanding of consumer behavior in the face of sustainability issues are the origin and evolution of the consumer society, the contemporaneities of environmental issues and the proposed Sustainable Consumption and Development, as well as consumer behavior and influencing factors of consumption, all addressed in the development of this study. In methodological terms, we carried out a survey of quantitative and descriptive, in order to observe, record and describe consumer practices used by consumers in the city of Campina Grande, from a random sample obtained by accessibility. The results show that consumers surveyed still do not have the mind totally focused on environmental preservation in their consumption practices. Such evidence demonstrates the need for changes in consumer behavior, and the existence of incentives and structures that facilitate these changes so that we can harmonize the relationship between society and the environment.