Mindfulness and sustainable consumption: Evidence from students in İstanbul

Abstract

We are consuming more resources than ever, exceeding the planet's capacity for coming generations. This shows the important role of sustainable consumption for the planet. To understand consumption patterns mindfulness may be regarded as an indicator that helps people gain insight into their true selves, which leads them to stay away from materialistic tendencies. Therefore, the objective of this study is to explore the effects of mindfulness training on the sustainable consumption perceptions of university students. In this qualitative study, a two-month mindfulness training is given and two focus group studies are conducted. Results suggest that mindfulness training has an impact on people's perceptions related to consumption. The findings of this study can serve as proof for the transformational effect of mindfulness on people's overall mood and subjective wellbeing.