environmental impacts of embedded bathroom practices maj-britt quitzau national environmental...
TRANSCRIPT
Environmental impacts of embedded bathroom practices
Maj-Britt Quitzau
National Environmental Research Institute
Department of Policy Analysis
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Structure of the presentation
• Motivations, aim, approach and empirical sources
• Exploring two themes– The substance of present bathroom normalities– Comparing specific bathroom practices: toilet use and bathing
• Environmental impacts and challenges
• Conclusion
Environmental impacts of normal bathroom development
• Motivation and inspiration from Elizabeth Shove– Noticing the unnoticed– Environmental impacts of changing normalities
• Based on my PhD project: Culture in the bathroom– Social and cultural conditions for change of toilet practices– Twofold interest: stability of toilet, general changes in bathroom
• Research questions– What is seen as normal today and what has driven this? – What are the differences between normalities of toilet use and
bathing? – What are the environmental impacts?
Empirical sources
• Historical studies by others
• Archives: ”Bo Bedre” (Live Better), advertisements and articles through the last 40 years
• The present coverage and advertisements in newspapers, magazines, tv-programmes, exhibitions and shops
• Qualitative interviews with Danes about their bathrooms
Observations of typical changes in Danish bathrooms
• Arrangement – Cold/white to warm/colourful– Sterile/functional to cosy/accessorised
• Composition of functions
– Baths to showers– Introduction of new functions like storage
and washing machines
• Status
– Remote to more of a integrated room– Leisure activities in addition to functional
use
Characteristics for present time use in the bathroom
• Effective time use – Get it over with, basic functions (Mette and Henrik)
• Give yourself time – Pleasure, relaxation, withdrawal (Betina and Katrine)
• Quality time – Being together, make use of time (Henrik)
• Extended time consumption – Demanding body care, self-pampering (Susanne and Katrine)
• Handling of time – Bottle-necks, co-ordination
What drives the shifts?
• Shifts in conventions and standards– E.g. more demanding body care, showers in stead of baths
• Reaction to everyday life conditions– The hectic life (dream of comfort and quality time)
• Social setting– Individualisation and status symbols
• New possibilities– Economical surplus, new technologies and greater selection
Comparing toilet use and bathing (I)
• Stability and change are knitted together
• Toilet use– Stabilised practice without recent changes
– The powerful water-flushing toilet: Setting the
scene
• Bathing– Stabilised practice with recent changes
– The variable bathing practice: Changing according to needs
Comparing toilet use and bathing (II)
• Doing as usual
• Uniform practices– water-flush as norm
• Isolated practice– distinction and separation from
other functions/practices
• Old values stick– hygiene, functionality and
privacy
• Stabilised norms
• Exploring new potentials
• Varying practices– bath/shower, spa
• Connected practice– general experience, reflected
in surroundings, connected
• New values arise– relaxing bath, self-pampering,
intensified body care
• Shifting norms
Environmental impacts and challenges
• Changes in normalisation (bathroom in general)– Escalating demands (more resource-intensive)– Spreading of demands (e.g. room comfort)– Challenge: bridle rising demands and resource-intensive
practices
• Differences between toilet use and bathing– Bathing practices could change back – Difficult to change back our toilet use (irreversibility)– Another challenge for toilet use: provide a breeding ground for
alternative toilet practices
Conclusion
• What is seen as normal today and what has driven this?– More integrated room and more extensive time use– Different social, cultural, technical and economic factors
• What are the differences between normalities of toilet use and bathing? – Old values stick to the toilet, while bathing/showering is renewed– Different degrees of embedding in the room (weak/strong link)– Different environmental challenges
• What are the environmental impacts of the normal bathroom?– Escalating demands (room comfort and personal well-being)– Stickiness and irreversibility of practices (e.g. toilet use)