A Collective Case Study into the Use of Social Media as a Tool - for Developing Sustainable Living Habits in Urban Families

Oct 15, 2026

A mixed-methods collective case study examines how urban families develop habitual ecological action, framing the work within socio-ecological transformation and environmental education. With the growing popularity of social media, the study investigates Facebook’s potential to promote environmental action and compares it with e-mail as an information and communication technology for the same goal. Forty-five families from two cities were split into two groups to reduce household electricity bills via a private Facebook group or via e-mail. Both groups reduced kilowatt-hour use during the project months, supported by exit interviews that highlight eco-citizenship development and higher family engagement and child participation in social-network contexts.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages18

Reading Time45 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Résumé

Theoretical Perspective

Climate change risks and behavioral change

Overconsumption and industrial dependence on fossil fuels

# A Collective Case Study into the Use of Social Media as a Tool for Developing Sustainable Living Habits in Urban FamiliesMichel T. Léger & Shawn Martin, Université de Moncton, Canada ## Abstract Living sustainably is not easy for urban families. This mixed method collectivecase study looks to explore the development of habitual ecological action infami-lies living in an urban setting, a context of socio-ecological transformation rarelyexamined in social science and environmental education. Given the ever-increasingpopularity of social media today, this study seeks to understand the potential roleof Facebook in promoting environmental action and to compare it to the use ofe-mail as an Information and Communication Technology (ICTs) for the promo-tion of environmental action. In other words, for families already intent on livingsustainably, we are interested in understanding how the use of social media couldhelp bridge the gap between intent and action, as compared to using less network-orientedICTs, such as e-mail. We recruited 45 families from two cities and dividedthem into two distinct groups. The ﬁrst group of families attempted to lower theirhousehold electrical bill as part of a private Facebook group, while the other groupaimed to do the same, but via e-mail instead, i.e., without the directed use of socialmedia. For both groups, we compared the quantity of kilowatt-hours used duringthe project to those used for the same months in the previous year, adjusting fortemperature variations from year to year. Our analysis of descriptive data showsthat both groups experienced lower electricity consumption during the projectmonths. Exit interviews help to explain these results and point to a better under-stand of eco-citizenship development as a process in the context of family. Ourqualitative results suggest that family engagement and child participation seem tobe higher in families interested in living more sustainably when these families arepart of a social network. ## Résumé Vivre des modes de vie durables n’est pas facile pour les familles de milieuxurbains. Cette étude de cas multiples de méthodologie mixte cherche à explorerledéveloppement del’action écologiquedans les famillesvivant en milieu urbain,un contexte de transformation socio-écologique rarement examiné en sciencessocialeset en éducation environnementale. Compte tenu dela popularité croissantedes médias sociaux aujourd’hui, cette étude cherche à comprendre lerôle potentielde Facebook dans la promotion del’action environnementale, tout en le comparantà l’utilisation du courrier électronique en tant que technologie de l’informationet de la communication (TIC) pour la promotion de l’action environnementale.En d’autres mots, pour les familles qui ont déjà l’intention de développer desmodes de vie plus durables, nous souhaitons comprendre comment l’utilisationdes médias sociaux pourraitaider à combler le fossé entre l’intention et l’action. 132 Canadian Journal of Environmental Education, 23 (3), 2020 Nous avons recruté 45 familles de deux villes et nous les avons divisées en deuxgroupes distincts. Le premier groupe de familles tentait de réduire leur factured’électricité domestique dans le cadre d’un groupe Facebook privé, tandis quel’autre groupe visait à faire demême, mais via le courrier électronique, c’est-à-diresans l’utilisation dirigée des médias sociaux. Pour les deux groupes, nous avonscomparé la quantité de kilowattheures utilisée pendant le projet à celles utiliséespour les mêmes mois de l’annéeprécédente, en ajustantselon les variations detempérature d’une année à l’autre. Notre analyse des données descriptives montreque les deux groupes ont connu une consommation d’électricité réduite au coursdes mois du projet. Les entretiens de sortie aident à expliquer ces résultats etpermettent de mieux comprendre le développement de l’écocitoyenneté en tantque processus dans le contexte familial. Nos résultats qualitatifs suggèrent quel’engagementfamil

FAQs

What is the study’s main purpose regarding social media and environmental action?

It investigates whether Facebook can promote environmental action and compares that effect with using e-mail as an information and communication technology to promote the same action.

How were the participating families organized in the experiment?

Forty-five families from two cities were divided into two groups: one used a private Facebook group to reduce household electricity bills, while the other used e-mail instead.

What outcomes did both groups show during the project months?

Descriptive analysis indicates that both groups experienced lower electricity consumption during the project months compared with the same months in the previous year.

Oct 15, 2026

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