Living with Complexity: Using the tools of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences to reframe the role of the user in the plastic packaging crisis

Sustainability practices are often positioned as individual choice. People who buy over-overpackaged goods or who do not recycle are typically framed as 'not doing their bit', either selfishly, through ignorance or simply being disengaged. We draw on our collective research experience with SSPP funded projects in the UK (Scotland and England), Spain and Germany, to reflect on ‘the user’ in the context of plastic packaging. Specifically, we identify how and why Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences can shed light on the ways in which recycling and refill practices fit into the dynamics of everyday life and identify the ‘pain points’ which need to be addressed for successful innovation. This can highlight material issues which cannot easily be addressed at the level of the individual, such as lack of physical space to store plastic waste, or ambiguous and misalignment between local council and wider media communications. Understanding this complexity can help develop more effective interventions which take account of diverse positions, priorities and values both cultural and generational. In conclusion, we evidence how our distinctive projects helped bridge traditional disciplinary gaps to understand the lived experience of engaging with pollution and waste in the context of plastic packaging.