Time Allocated During the Working Week to Pursue Environmental Initiatives: a Utopian Dream or Potential Reality?

Abstract

This project investigates the opinions of members of staff at the University of Edinburgh concerning the role they believe environmental issues plays in their working week, and how this could be changed. Current relevant research concerns the state of our society, consumption, and working lives, as well as the benefits for the planet and people alike are of increasing connection with the environment. This projects aims to discuss how these three issues are interlinked, which so far seems to be given little attention. Data is collected qualitatively through semi-structured in-depth interviews to explore responses to the research question. This is analysed and quotations from interviews are presented alongside current research to further a discussion of the topic. A series of themes that appear as barriers to the original question are explored: communication, awareness, incentives, economics and priorities/responsibility. The first three are taken forward to create a vision that could be implemented at the University.