Solutions
We can all tap into the significant potential of behaviour changes to address the root causes of our ecological and social challenges. The potential emerges when individual behaviour changes interconnect with broader system changes.
We are being asked to lead and help others. And yet we are all finding it difficult to identify solutions that take action at scale.
At the Beacon, we offer a strategic approach to advancing sustainable living, identifying key shifts and solution areas.
The Beacon approach
We can broaden our approach to catalyze sustainable living by considering five strategic shifts:
• From consuming to better living: from focusing only on greening products and consumption to wider perspectives of what constitutes living a good and meaningful life.
• From individual behaviour to individual AND systems change: from placing the burden entirely on individuals to enabling changes in institutions, infrastructures and systems of provision, reinforced by individual behaviours.
• From static to dynamic: from snapshots of individual footprint impacts in one moment in time to embracing the changing nature of our lives.
• From limits to regeneration: from a focus only on boundaries to a focus on regenerating the healthy abundance of social and ecological systems.
• From one-size-fits-all to diverse ways of living: from global living standards to diverse varieties of lifestyles and livelihoods across cultures.
Solution areas
Several key solution areas have great promise in supporting the large-scale changes necessary to achieve sustainable living.
These solutions:
• Reinforce the foundations of sustainable living: living well, equitably, within the life support systems of the planet.
• Unlock our creativity and innovation in this moment of transition.
• Support rich approaches to advancing sustainable living, such as those captured in the strategic shifts outlined above.
Some of the key solution areas include:
Rethinking 'reduce'
Clarifying opportunities for upstream action, beyond focusing on waste.
Life transitions
Taking advantage of life stages and changes to shift habits and practices toward sustainability.
Cities and sustainable living
Leveraging urban action to enable citizens to thrive.
Imagining futures
Envisioning a range of vivid stories and scenarios of sustainable everyday life.
The Beacon is led by OneEarth Living and Hot or Cool, with generous support from the KR Foundation