Transitioning Towards Sustainability: The Information Practices of Sustainable Food Consumers

Abstract

Sustainability is an emergent topic due to the increased climate and social issues caused by human activities. While sustainability is not a new concept in library and information science, its scope is often limited to library and information systems. This study aims to expand sustainability to human information behavior and practice. This poster reports initial findings from a pilot study in Jan – April 2022. Interviews and photo diaries with 6 sustainable food consumers about their information behaviors and practices were conducted and analyzed using the constructivist grounded theory methodology. We found that participants use sensory and embodied information in assessing the real impact of their sustainable food behaviors, and that this process is essential in the transition to sustainable food behaviors. Participants assess the impact of their transition to sustainable food by comparing information at different times, places, and between actors (individuals and food providers). This research sheds light on the role of time in everyday information use, and demonstrates that sustainability is a fruitful research area in human information behavior and practice.

Building a Bigger Table: Food Research, Methods, Policy, and Action in Library and Information Science

“…It reveals not only dynamic food‐related practices, such as grocery shopping (Ocepek, 2018), planning and cooking (Hartel, 2006), eating (Polkinghorne, 2021), and ethical consumption behaviors (Polkinghorne, 2021; Du, 2022), but also corresponding sophisticated information practices, including the selection of information sources, information embodiment, and other information activities. For instance, everyday food consumers encounter and use sensory and embodied information sources to make food choices (Ocepek, 2018), get informed of future cooking and eating practices (Polkinghorne, 2021), or transition to sustainable consumption (Du, 2022). Cooking hobbyists may engage in information activities, such as managing personal collections and creating recipes and action plans at home (Hartel, 2003, 2010).…”