As the world population continues to grow, so does consumption. By 2050 the global population is expected to grow by 2.2 billion (OECD, 2015). An increase in population and consumption leads to an exponential growth in waste accumulation that has severe environmental, social, and economic consequences. If attention is not directed towards the minimization of the use of natural resources and continual production of waste, the current culture of consumption will severely compromise future generations’ ability to live a full and prosperous life.
Track Leaders
Dr. Nicole Bieak Kreidler is a Professor of Design at La Roche College in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She is an interdisciplinary thinker who loves to explore the interconnectedness of sustainability, consumption, design and culture. Nicole is intrigued by the impact transparency, disruption and circular economies are having within modern organizations and systems. The terms push creativity and change creating a climate of open-mindedness among professionals and academics. Nicole Bieak Kreidler, Ph.D. works at a Catholic, liberal arts college that is infused with a strong mission. The influence of this community has been paramount to her research and continual evolution of her teaching endeavors.
Dr. Naz Onel is an Assistant Professor of Business Studies in the School of Business at Stockton University, New Jersey, USA. Her principal areas of research are consumer pro-environmental behavior, sustainability marketing, green branding, and sustainable business strategies. Her research studies aim to engage with the environment in its broadest sense, considering the interconnection of ecological, economic, and social elements with an interdisciplinary emphasis. Dr. Onel published in various reputable refereed journals and books. She is also actively engaged in international sustainability initiatives and has presented papers and published manuscripts in the proceedings of a number of international conferences.
Dr. Estela Díaz is an Associate Professor at Comillas Pontifical University, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration (Madrid, Spain), animal activist, NGO advisor, and humane educator. Graduated in Law (University of Granada), Estela holds a Master in Sustainability & RSC (UNED & UJI), a Master in Research on Economic & Business (Comillas), and a PhD in Economics and Business Administration (Comillas). Her research focuses on ethical and transformative consumption research; sustainable transitions; power and institutional work; animal-human relationships; and gender. She has presented conference papers and published in academic journals, including Human Ecology Review, Psychology and Marketing, Macromarketing and Antrozoös.
Dr. Pia Furchheim is a Research Associate at the Institute of Marketing Management at ZHAW, Switzerland.Her research looks at the interplay of two conflicting areas of Transformative Consumer Research – materialism and sustainable consumption. In particular, she focuses on the consequences that arise from this conflict both on an apparcrazy niindividual level (such as lower degrees of well-being) but also on a societal level. Her research has appeared in outlets such as Journal of Public Policy and Marketing, Journal of Marketing Management and Psychology and Marketing.
