Sustainability and Consumption: What's Gender Got to Do with It?

Gender plays an important role in considerations of sustainable consumption. Not only are there gender differences in the amount and type of sustainable consumption among women and men, but gender stereotypes and norms shape the way women and men think about the topic, respond to its necessity, and choose to act. Further, differences are embedded in larger lifestyle practices and intersect with other social identities, which can alter the occurrence or manifestations of gender differences in environmentally relevant actions. Finally, efforts to make consumption more sustainable are both influenced by and influence people differently based on gender as well as other marginalized group statuses. We highlight major psychological and social science research on the gendered aspects of sustainable consumption. Our goal is to illuminate social influences on gender differences in behaviors, motivations, and solutions and to emphasize the need for future policies and practices related to sustainable consumption to address and improve issues of gender equality.