The Shape of Carbon-Neutral Living

by Tan Yaxing

W ith China already committed to peaking carbon dioxide emissions before 2030 and achieving carbon neutrality before 2060， the Central Economic Work Conference 2020 urged quicker steps to formulate an action plan to enable the peaking of emissions. It called for accelerated efforts to better the industrial and energy structures and enable the peaking of coal consumption at an early date while bolstering the development of new energy.

From the sudden new energy explosion at the end of 2020 to the launch of the national carbon emission trading rights market in July 2021， “carbon neutrality” has undoubtedly become a buzzword in China. However， will “carbon neutrality” really affect our lives and our consumption？

Fortunately， as a sustainability strategy consultant， I was able to seek insight from quantitative data of more than 230，000 consumers and some in-depth interviews which helped develop understanding of how their perceptions towards sustainability impact their lifestyles， choices， and concerns.

A typical sustainable lifestyle usually includes low-carbon public transportation， recyclable packaging， organic food， and circular usage of clothes.

More than 57 percent of Gen Z consumers， those born between the mid-to-late 1990s and the early 2010s， believe that products with various environmentally friendly labels are attractive. But more than 80 percent of them also agree that the idea of environmental protection itself is anti-human and impractical. Hence， a desirable solution is to buy low-carbon products that are also trendy， beautiful or delicious， and in touch with human nature.

The internet allows the consumers to construct their own image by sharing purchased goods， and the emotions they expect to obtain are first of all “the sense of lightness” or“a laid-back moment.” There is not much moral pressure in consumption and the act itself demonstrates taste and modernity especially when most are experiencing a high level of anxiety and stress in the post-pandemic era. Similarly， a consumer who is dealing with idle clothes is not just pursuing goodwill， but taking the opportunity to rethink their relationship with these items and reflect on their needs and desires.

Buying a cup of fair-trade coffee represents a contribution to humane labor. Eating a burger with “meat” made from plants can save animals from being slaughtered. It is not difficult to see that the connection between the usefulness of commodities and consumer purchasing decisions is weakening. We all know that the daily life of Chinese consumers is getting better， so regardless of policy orientation， they are literally thinking： What I buy directly determines what kind of a person I want to be.

A 23-year-old subject of our research working as a delivery man was particularly impressive to me. While delivering takeout food， he still thinks about how much plastic is involved. While reading news， he noticed Impossible Foods， a company that develops plant-based substitutes for meat products， and another called Ecovative Design， a company that provides sustainable alternatives to plastics and polystyrene foams for packaging， building materials， and other applications through mushroom technology. He even complained about Starbucks’paper straws.

Perhaps few customers pay particular attention to how the“carbon peaking and carbon neutrality goals” have reshaped their lives. But what they do care about is something more practical， closely related to their own experience： Are the brands going green？ Does the product bring more meaning to their life？ Did they make a right and fair choice？

According to our research， overly complex knowledge will shut everyone out， and the contest-style answer design is too frustrating as well， although it could be applied to the low-carbon oriented lifestyle.

In China， we have seen many interesting attempts. A game company called Boke City worked with Shanghai Science and Technology Museum and Shanghai Natural History Museum to develop a jigsaw game for teenagers based on the real experiences of expert volunteers and bird photographers. Through gamified functions， the consumers not only enjoy gameplay， but also gain awareness about bird diversity. As its developer hoped， it balances a sense of accomplishment and frustration.

In this sense， we really need to use the power of the mind from time to time. Perhaps the question to be asked is not whether the “carbon peaking and carbon neutrality goals” will reshape our lives， but whether we will begin to reshape our lives.