LebensLänger

The political debate on sustainable consumption is currently driven by the EU Ecodesign Directive and the introduction of a "Right to Repair". In this context, the joint project "LebensLänger" addresses the issue of short product lifespans and use phases of furniture, textiles, and electronic appliances. Since measures to extend product lifespans hold significantly greater potential for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and resource consumption than downstream recycling, the project aims to activate consumers, businesses, and municipalities. The goal is, on the one hand, to establish more resource-efficient utilisation patterns across society and, on the other, to trigger positive social tipping points for sustainable consumption.

Whilst the University of Bamberg investigates the socio-scientific background of sustainable user behavior, the Wuppertal Institute provides the environmental science framework: Which products are easy to repair? For which ones do sharing approaches make sense? Which products need to be fundamentally redesigned to meet sustainability requirements? And what are the quantifiable ecological effects of sharing and repair?

To explore these questions, the project team conducts literature reviews and presents the findings with the aim of achieving the greatest possible impact on the general public. To this end, the project consortium establishes four networks that facilitate knowledge transfer and exchange within the target groups of businesses, municipalities, academia, as well as associations, federations and initiatives. This involves organising events designed to create a space for networking and exchange among interested stakeholders. The networks are open to the public within the target groups; registration is available via the links below with the respective project partners.

Furthermore, the findings will feed into a nationwide behavioral change campaign led by WWF Germany, aiming to reach five million households, as well as into various training formats and the online tool "RessourcenRechner" (Resource Calculator): The tool enables users to estimate their personal resource consumption and provides recommendations for sustainable consumption choices.