DOING LAUNDRY MORE SUSTAINABLY: Disrupting everyday practices through media conversations DOCTORAL THESIS Holly Wilhelmina Kaye-Smith School of Humanities and Communication Arts Western Sydney University 2017 Dedication To the most inspirational, intelligent and capable woman in my life, my mother, Stephanie Cass. WE MADE IT!!!! ii Acknowledgements My thank you list is quite large because I had so many people come together to participate and help with my research. This includes my supervisors, film crew, actors, and social research participants and I am so grateful to all who contributed. Firstly, to my brainy supervisors Dr Alison Gill and Dr Abby Lopes whom I have learned so much from and who have provided endless support and guidance. Thanks to my tireless film crew and friends Kellie Green (the founder of combat research!), Stephanie Cass, Abhinav Gauba, Ross Page and Mark Thomas. To my technical advisors Todd Clarke, Mitchel Hart, Greg Holister, Rob Leggo, Lauren Oaklands (I would still be formatting my thesis if it weren’t for you!), Greg O’Reilly, and Iqbal Barkat. To my video cast and research participants. Finally, to my dear friends Michelle Muule, Rachel Bentley and Hayley Porter for your friendship, help, coaching and support, and to my patient and caring partner Ross Fader. iii Statement of Authentication This work has not been submitted for a higher degree at any other institution and it is original and a result of my own research endeavour. …………………………………………… Holly Kaye-Smith 17 January 2017 …………………………………………… Dated iv Table of Contents List of Tables ........................................................................................................................... 1 List of figures ........................................................................................................................... 2 Research Question .................................................................................................................. 4 Abstract .................................................................................................................................... 4 Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 6 Chapter overview ............................................................................................................. 9 CHAPTER 1. MEDIATING SOCIAL CHANGE ....................................................................... 11 Overview ......................................................................................................................... 11 1.1 Vignette ..................................................................................................................... 12 1.2 Summary of ‘Fashion Victims’ ................................................................................ 14 1.3 Investigations and exposition ................................................................................. 15 1.4 What help is ‘raised awareness’ and consumer action? ...................................... 18 1.5 Presenting issues as too big can overwhelm the audience ................................. 26 1.6 Signs of hope: ‘Fashion Victims Part Two’ ............................................................ 28 1.7 Conclusion ................................................................................................................ 37 CHAPTER 2. CHANGING WAYS OF DOING ........................................................................ 40 Overview ......................................................................................................................... 40 2.1 Ways of doing laundry ............................................................................................. 40 2.2 Laundering less ........................................................................................................ 42 2.2.1 The ground-up strategy to reduce laundering’s heavy environmental burden ................ 42 2.2.2 Why launder so much: The not so squeaky clean reasons to wash ............................... 43 2.2.3 Who’s talking dirty? Slow fashion theorists ..................................................................... 46 2.3 Making public what we do in private: Talking about personal laundering practices ......................................................................................................................... 49 2.4 Less about the products and more about the practice: Applying a framework of social practices to laundry ............................................................................................ 51 2.5 The visual representation of laundering ................................................................ 56 2.6 Conclusion ................................................................................................................ 62 CHAPTER 3. METHODOLOGY: CONVERSATIONAL SOCIAL RESEARCH TO EXPLORE THE CHANGE-ABILITY OF LAUNDERING ........................................................................... 65 Overview ......................................................................................................................... 65 3.1 Timeline and research methods summary............................................................. 66 3.2 Practice based methods: Constructing a media space to learn about laundering ......................................................................................................................................... 67 3.2.1 Media and communication experiments .......................................................................... 67 3.2.2 Trial proto-practices that could replace a conventional wash ......................................... 74 3.2.3 Initiating and mediating conversations about washing less ............................................ 85 v 3.2.4 Continuing the conversation: Turning the video footage into a story to share ................ 94 3.3 Screening and discussion groups .......................................................................... 99 3.4 Think-alouds ........................................................................................................... 106 3.5 Conclusion .............................................................................................................. 108 CHAPTER 4. TALKING LAUNDRY RESEARCH FINDINGS: THE POTENTIAL TO ‘WASH LESS’ AND FEEL GOOD ABOUT IT ................................................................................... 109 Overview ....................................................................................................................... 109 4. Insights from conversational social research ....................................................... 110 4.1 Insights while filming ........................................................................................................ 110 4.2 Screening and discussion unlock user insights ................................................................ 113 4.2.1 Screening and discussion group survey findings...................................................... 113 4.2.2 Reflections about the habitual and inconspicuous nature of laundering .................. 115 4.2.3 Conversational insights into the social aspects of cleanliness and laundering ........ 117 4.2.4 Discussions and comparisons about laundering routines......................................... 120 4.2.5 The feeling of clean................................................................................................... 121 4.3 Leverage points that emerged from key themes with the potential to disrupt laundering practices ................................................................................................................................. 123 4.4 Think-aloud participants and recordings .......................................................................... 126 4.4.1 Kat and Jenny ........................................................................................................... 128 4.4.2 Polly .......................................................................................................................... 130 4.4.3 Tracey ....................................................................................................................... 131 4.5 Outcomes ......................................................................................................................... 132 4.5.1 Conversations and practice to shift perceptions of cleanliness ................................ 132 4.5.2 Patterns of practice and opportunities for design interventions ................................ 137 4.5.3 Mediating detrimental laundering practices .............................................................. 139 4.5.4 Summary of key findings........................................................................................... 142 CHAPTER 5. CONCLUSION: PARTICIPATORY SOCIAL RESEARCH AND MEDIA MAKING THAT EXPLORES WASHING CLOTHES LESS .................................................. 145 References .................................................................................................................... 149 APPENDICES COVER PAGE ....................................................................................... 159 Appendix 1: Flip books ........................................................................................................... 160 Appendix2: Survey outcomes………………………………………………………………………160 Appendix 3: Screening