Estilos de vida sustentáveis: o processo de mudança na busca por coerência

Abstract

The ecological crisis, which is related to the determinations of the capitalist system, stands out as one of the most worrying themes in the study of person-environment relationship. We are immersed in an unsustainable way of life that sees nature and people as resources. For decades, groups of people have been looking for lifestyle alternatives that reduce their impact on the environment. Lifestyle, in this perspective, refers to the set of effective, deliberated, and anticipated actions that result in the preservation of nature. Thus, the question is: how are the experiences of people who have changed their thinking and practices, living a sustainability-oriented lifestyle? To answer this question, this paper investigates the experiences of people who have been building in their trajectories visions and behaviors that constitute sustainable lifestyles. Participated in this research people who develop permaculture practices - a science that aims at creating cycles of energy use and mutual social and environmental benefit in the construction of sustainable human habitations. The investigation took place at a national permaculture meeting in Cariri - CE. The grounded theory was used as a theoretical-methodological approach of interpretative and qualitative basis. It focuses on the creation of conceptual schemes through the construction of abductive data analysis. Semi-structured interviews and field diaries were used. The 10 participants were selected via indication / peer evaluation. The results showed that the motivating issues of lifestyle changes are related to a concern with environmental degradation, socioeconomic issues, and the gender debate. All this led to the construction of a life purpose aligned with a search for socioenvironmental justice, conscious eating, and personal development related to self-knowledge and spirituality. The participants talked about an internal and later external sensitization and transformation, emphasizing that they were looking for coherence. The proposed discussions contribute socially and ethically-politically to advances in understanding behaviors in the face of the human-environmental crisis.