Social capital, lifestyles and consumption patterns

The aim of this paper is to analyse the strategies that could be adopted to improve the quality of life of city and town dwellers in terms of ecological sustainability. This paper illustrates a study carried out, in the city of Padova, in which the existing relationships between the quality of the urban environment, the nature of social relations and the consumption patterns in two different areas of the city have been analysed. The data gathered by means of focus groups that were set up in the two areas could help in developing a model of sustainable urban living. This study has highlighted citizens’ widespread knowledge, on the basis of which the quality of the natural capital present in the urban environment deeply influences their own quality of life. Furthermore, the study has been able to identify the nature of social relations which are a crucial element not only in ‘living better’ but also in putting strategies to deal with environmental risks.