Quality of Life and Sustainability: The End of Quality at Any Price

Abstract

In this chapter the evolution and structuring role of QoL in environmental psychology research is reviewed. How the conception of the concept has changed is highlighted. Initially, QoL was pursued as an environmental quality to be attained at any price (i.e. regardless of the economic and the environmental costs), but more recent conceptions emphasize the need for quality from the standpoint of sustainability, just as much economic as social and environmental. Another aspect evolving over time concerns the factors that affect QoL, i.e. the shift from an almost exclusive emphasis on the ‘objective’ socioeconomic and environmental conditions to an active and decisive consideration of the subjective, experiential dimension, which inevitably brings us to the study of happiness

Introduction

“…To Pol et al (2017) community life, social cohesion, empowerment, and participation are seen as prerequisites for the efficacy of any environmental intervention intended to improve citizens' Quality of Life. There is certainly not much quality possible in modern life without participation, citizenship, and agency.…”

Social-Cultural Processes and Urban Affordances for Healthy and Sustainable Food Consumption

“…In general, different authors have suggested a clear link between the walkability of residential environments and public health and wellbeing (e.g., Saelens et al, 2003; Brown et al, 2007; Brown and Werner, 2012). Likewise, access to outdoor green space and the possibility of being physically active in the residentials setting are important predictors of quality of life in urban settings (see Pol et al, 2017). According to Brown and Werner (2012), walking is a specific kind of daily life everyday physical activity and an important component for the promotion of public health.…”

Happier and greener? The relationship between subjective well-being and environmental performance

“…In addition to issues such as poverty and inequality, researchers began relating happiness to environmental quality, due largely to the contemporary global debate on environmental sustainability (Welsch, 2002(Welsch, , 2006Brereton et al, 2008;Pol et al, 2017). Although interest in addressing essentially environmental aspects in the study of happiness is recent, the approach has quickly come to be seen as a potential analytical tool to help policymakers rethink the effects of promoting a sustainable development on individuals and societies (Helliwell et al, 2019;Detori and Floris, 2019;Visvisi and Lytras, 2020;Zhao and Sun, 2020).…”