Flexibility poverty: ‘locked-in’ flexibility practices and electricity use among students

Figures & data

Table 1. Overview of students

Course	Number of students	Empirical material
Perspective course	41	Illustrations
One-year course	17	Illustrations + written statements
Master’s degree course	17	Illustrations

Figure 1. Example of a student’s illustration of energy consumption regarding flexibility and inflexibility in daily life. The green text in the upper right part translates as ‘Live in a collective with nine others!’ The yellow circles (Lett) indicate what activities were considered easy to shift and cut (flexible) and the blue circles (Vanskelig) indicate what activities were perceived as complicated to shift and cut (inflexible).

Table 2. Summary of observations relating to laundry

Observations	Flexible	Inflexible	Notes
Wash less	6		• Hard to move because washing is done outside the home, at a laundry • Wash during nighttime • Laundry is flexible in the morning and inflexible in the evening • Only wash dirty clothes • Laundry can be done in daytime when there are no lectures
Shift time	5
Unspecified	12	12
Tumble drier	4	2
Total	27	14

Table 3. Summary of observations relating to showering

Observations	Flexible	Inflexible	Notes
Frequency	3		•Twice per day: flexible in the morning; inflexible after workout • Hard to change habits and electricity that one is dependent upon (e.g., phone, shower, food) • Hard to cut shower time in the morning • Shower in hot water a little too long
Length	8
Change location	4
Change time	9	2
Unspecified	8	7
Total	32	9

Table 4. Summary of observations relating to ICT

Observations	Flexible	Inflexible	Notes
Charging, nighttime	11	6	• Phone charges usually during the night; dangerous (bad habit) – Habit of needing to be available and be entertainment if bored – Charge EV (electric vehicle) during the night, inflexible
Charging	5	2	• Charge when the battery is flat – conscious user of energy
Computer, daytime	3	8	• University, work; hard to change
Computer, afternoon/evening	6	6	• Hard to change due to homework
TV	15	4	• TV on for dog during daytime – Can cut and do homework – should be easy – The laptop serves the purpose of a TV.
Gaming console	2	1	• Do not want to move
Wi-Fi	1	1	• Always on
Total	43	28

Figure 2. Student’s illustration of a typical day, indicating that laundry (vask, tørk) was flexible and could be moved from late afternoon or early evening to morning.

Figure 3. Student’s illustration indicating that time spent showering could be reduced: “No need to shower for so long” (Trenge ikke å dusje så lenge).

Figure 4. Student’s illustration indicating that some activities are hard to move due to social rhythms: ‘Hard to change: things connected to the rhythm of work/education, things that are determined by timetables. Must eat dinner between education and sleep’ (Vanskelig å flytte: ting knyttet til rytmen av jobb/utdanning. ting fastsatt til tid. Må spise middag mellom utedanning & sovn). ‘The university[:] hard to change’ (Universitetet[:] vanskelig å flytte).