Dispelling myths about sustainable consumption

About this course

What if many of the ideas we take for granted about sustainability are actually myths? This course challenges the familiar stories that shape our everyday choices, business strategies, and public policies. From the belief that more information will automatically change behaviour, to the idea that technology alone will solve environmental crises, myths about sustainable consumption obscure the structural transformations that are truly needed. In this MOOC, developed by Lund University’s International Institute for Industrial Environmental Economics (IIIEE) together with international partners, you will explore twelve of the most persistent myths about sustainable consumption. Each lesson unpacks a specific myth, tracing its cultural and historical origins, examining its environmental and social consequences, and presenting evidence-based arguments that challenge its validity. The course brings together leading scholars and practitioners, combining short lectures, expert interviews, real-world case studies, and interactive quizzes. By the end of the course, you will be equipped to identify and critically assess myths that dominate sustainability debates, and to reflect on alternative strategies for systemic change. Whether you are a student, policymaker, business professional, or simply curious, this course will help you rethink consumption and imagine more just and sustainable futures.

Course objectives

• deconstruct widely held beliefs about sustainability
• link myths to their historical and cultural origins
• examine environmental and social consequences of these myths