Sustainability and Climate Change

Climate change is not only an environmental crisis but also a fundamental pedagogical issue that shapes individuals’ understanding of responsibility and citizenship. In this context, the subject falls within the scope of not only science education but also language (native or foreign) and literacy education. However, studies on how representations of climate change are structured in native language textbooks are limited. This study examines how climate change and environmental representations are constructed in 24 Turkish textbooks taught at the middle school level in Turkey between 2019 and 2025. The research was conducted based on the Environmental Literacy Framework; a reflective thematic analysis approach integrating inductive coding with theoretical matching was adopted. As a result of the analysis, five themes were identified: (1) selective construction of environmental knowledge and areas of silence (2) emotional discourse and moral loading regarding nature (3) individualization of environmental responsibility (4) skill orientation in the axis of participatory citizenship, and (5) from behavioral compliance to critical environmental citizenship. The findings show that the effects of climate change are strongly visible; however, historical, economic, and political causes are not systematically addressed. The role of environmental responsibility is mostly confined to that aspect of individual ethics and behavior; there is a minimal mention of collective action and systemic causality. For all, then, the findings uncover the fact that the climate change discourse may induce strong emotional awareness but does not comprehensively integrate the knowledge and action dimensions of environmental literacy. This study demonstrates that language-based teaching alone can increase environmental awareness but may limit critical climate citizenship and collective action; therefore, interdisciplinary teaching approaches are necessary.

Farmers’ markets temporarily transform public spaces into markets, increasing access to fresh, locally farmed produce. While their effects on public space and food environments are clear, little is known about their effects on human behavior. This study uses the Understanding America Study survey data, representative of Los Angeles County, to evaluate whether people who visit farmers’ markets report healthier and more sustainable lifestyles. We used propensity score-matched samples to compare lifestyle choices, food choices, attitudes toward climate change, food insecurity, and self-reported health between farmers’ market shoppers and nonshoppers. Results indicate that more frequent visits to farmers’ markets are associated with healthier and more sustainable food choices. Multivariate analysis of variance suggests the associations are modest but consistent in cross-sectional and longitudinal samples. As suggested by the Sustainable Development Goals, transitioning toward healthier and more sustainable food systems requires changes in both the food environment and human behavior. Results here suggest that increasing exposure to farmers’ markets could play a role in this transition by promoting healthier and more sustainable food choices among grocery shoppers.

Technology is increasingly recognized as a key driver of the transition toward a circular economy, prompting growing interest in the factors that influence consumers’ intention to use mobile waste management applications. Considering recent social, economic, and technological transformations, understanding both external and internal drivers of such intentions remains essential for environmentally concerned companies and governments. This study examines the effects of financial incentives and eco-anxiety on consumers’ intention to use mobile waste management applications. A quantitative analysis was conducted using survey data from 1,503 Spanish consumers. The results show that financial incentives are positively associated with intention to use these applications, with perceived benefits mediating this relationship. In addition, financial incentives moderate the relationship between eco-anxiety and intention to use, strengthening its positive effect. These findings provide actionable insights into the design of incentive schemes and communication strategies aimed at fostering sustainable behavior.