Planning for eco-friendly living in diverse societies

Abstract

Swedish cities are becoming increasingly multicultural and diverse in terms of lifestyles and socioeconomic conditions. However, cultural and social diversity is seldom considered when planning for sustainable urban development. This paper examines planning for more eco-friendly living in the increasingly diverse population of a city district of Stockholm. The study reveals the prevalence of a discourse in which a Swedish identity carries environmental responsibility in the form of tidiness, recycling and familiarity with nature. It is argued that planning for urban sustainability is underpinned by Swedish middle-class norms, indirectly entailing processes of (self-) disciplining and transforming the other (foreign and/or troublesome dwellers) into well-behaving Swedes. A clearer definition of the environmental improvement intended, its goals and target groups is needed. Finally, an appreciation of the multiple ways we can save natural resources would make urban planning policies more attuned to social and cultural diversity as well as more environmentally progressive.

Keywords:

• eco-friendly living
• diversity
• justice
• sustainable urban development
• othering
• discourse

Acknowledgements

This article summarises some of the key findings of my PhD thesis, entitled Just Environments – Politicising Sustainable Urban Development (2009), Stockholm: KTH. I am grateful to all interviewees who participated in the study and particularly the residents in Spånga–Tensta for welcoming me into their homes. Thank you Jan-Ivar Ivarsson, USK, for giving me access to statistical data and Lars Orrskog, Karolina Isaksson, Göran Cars and Patrik Tornberg, KTH, for valuable comments on drafts of this article. Also, the comments provided from two anonymous referees were important for the clarification of the arguments in this paper. And finally I am grateful to Formas – the Swedish Research Council for Environment, Agricultural Sciences and Spatial Planning – for funding the project.

Notes

“Foreign background” is defined as foreign citizens born abroad or in Sweden, and Swedish citizens born abroad, data from 31 December 2003. Stockholm Municipality: Spånga–Tensta – Ditt stadsdelsområde i Stockholm 2004–2005. Information folder.

Stockholms stad: Spånga–Tensta – Ditt stadsdelsområde i Stockholm 2004–2005. Information folder.

Around 20% of Tensta residents aged 25–64 have an education level beyond high school, compared to around 50% in Gamla Spånga and 52% in Stockholm municipality (the Statistical Office of Stockholm Municipality, data from 31 December 2006).

The resident postal survey – Stadsdelsinvånarna om miljö och miljövanor i Stockholm 2004 – En undersökning genomförd av USK på uppdrag av Miljöförvaltningen (2005), Stockholms Stad, Jan-Ivar Ivarsson – was conducted by the Stockholm City Statistical Office in 2004. I was given access to the data for the 175 responses (300 persons received the survey) from Spånga–Tensta and was thus able to analyse them in greater detail than USK was able.

For a more detailed account of the material and method (Bradley, 2009).

Allemansrätten is the rather unique Scandinavian entitlement to roam freely in the outdoors while being respectful of wildlife, landowners and other people enjoying the outdoors.

In the postal survey, 75% of those with a university education owned (or leased) a car, while only 46% of those with a basic formal education owned cars. Of the Swedish respondents, 76% owned a car, while only 43% of the immigrant respondents did.

In the postal survey, 22% of Swedes declared they “always” or “often” bought this kind of groceries, while only 14% of immigrants did. Of the respondents with a university education, 21% responded they “always” or “often” bought organic groceries, while only 11% of those with an elementary education did.