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Overconsumption of resources and consumer items is an important driver for environmental degradation and climate change. Malls, shopping, and conspicuous consumption are deeply ingrained in the local values and the global image of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The UAE has a diverse and international population with over 85% expats and numerous opportunities to reduce environmental impact. Increased participation in a circular economy that aims to reduce resource use by recycling materials, reusing products, extending their lifespan, and maintaining their economic value would be an effective strategy to reduce negative environmental impacts. However, little is known about how much and why UAE citizens and residents participate in the circular economy. Therefore, it is important to examine the factors that predict participation in the circular economy in the UAE. To investigate this question, we surveyed n=163 undergraduate students at an American-curriculum university in the UAE and explored literature-based explanations as predictors for participation in the circular economy, namely gender, nationality, exposure to circular economy initiatives, efforts to reduce ecological footprints, and sustainable consumer behaviors using index-based negative binomial regression models. We also compare differences in ways and levels of participation in the circular economy between UAE citizens and residents with t-tests. Our results suggest that participation in the circular economy does not emerge from concerted efforts to reduce environmental degradation such as lowering ecological footprint and reducing waste, but rather investments in sustainable and durable items. Emirati citizens are more likely to participate in the circular economy, in particular repairing items, than expat residents. These differences are most likely to be explained by the more stable lifestyles of Emirati citizens as opposed to the more itinerant lifestyles of expat residents. Keywords: sustainability, circular economy, consumption, Middle East, ecological footprint, recycling.

This paper investigates the awareness, attitudes, and opinions of Japanese millennials about intersex people. This research attempts to fill a gap in extant literature concerning the intersex in Asia via an exploratory analysis. The LGBTQ(I) discourse of Japan mimics that of the west; often the "I" is totally disregarded. Here, a snapshot of Japanese millennial awareness is offered using survey results collected from a convenience sample of Japanese college students. Findings suggest that the understanding of what the term "intersex" means is limited. An interesting argument addressing the differential treatment of one's sex versus one's sexuality via queering is offered, alongside proposals for further `exploration using qualitative means should be done in the future. In addition, a comparison to Western awareness and understanding would be an appropriate next step.

Eco‐certifications offer consumers the opportunity to vote with their money for more sustainable methods of production. While consumer‐facing eco‐labels are mostly recognized and consumed in western countries little is known about their performance in expat societies. This study applies world society theory to a sample of Arab, Western, and South Asian United Arab Emirates (UAE) residents to test whether globalization causes assimilation of familiarity, attitudes, and buying frequencies for major eco‐labels. The results show that respondents with Western ethnicities are more familiar with eco‐certifications. However, Arab, and South‐Asian citizens report similar or higher levels of importance for the purported benefits of eco‐certifications. Among respondents familiar with eco‐certification, we found no differences in buying frequency by ethnic group. Findings related to ethnicity support world society theory because social, environmental, and quality ideals converge among different ethnic groups in the UAE.

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