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A generalized impure public good and linear characteristics model of green consumption

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  • Chan, Nathan W.
  • Kotchen, Matthew J.

Abstract

This paper provides a general framework for understanding consumer behavior related to goods and services that may be considered environmentally friendly, ethically produced, fairly traded, or some combination thereof. We generalize the impure public good model and derive its comparative static properties. The model accounts for any number of impure public (green) goods and joint production of any number of both private and public characteristics. The generalization provides a bridge between the impure public good model and the well-known linear characteristics model, both of which are special cases of the model developed here. The results show how demand for green goods and characteristics such as environmental quality depends on wealth, exogenously given levels of public goods, and the technologies of joint production. The effects of changes in technology depend critically on whether jointly produced characteristics are complements or substitutes in consumption. Several of the results are rather counterintuitive and differ in meaningful ways from existing models of impure public goods and linear characteristics. The results also illuminate several reasons for greater caution about whether it is reasonable to assume that green goods and services are necessarily beneficial for the provision of public goods.

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  • Chan, Nathan W. & Kotchen, Matthew J., 2014. "A generalized impure public good and linear characteristics model of green consumption," Resource and Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 37(C), pages 1-16.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:resene:v:37:y:2014:i:c:p:1-16
    DOI: 10.1016/j.reseneeco.2014.04.001
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    2. Lange, Andreas & Schwirplies, Claudia & Ziegler, Andreas, 2017. "On the interrelation between the consumption of impure public goods and the provision of direct donations: Theory and empirical evidence," Resource and Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 47(C), pages 72-88.
    3. Montoya-Villalobos, Maria J., 2023. "Green consumption: The role of confidence and pessimism," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 205(C).
    4. Dorner, Zack, 2019. "A behavioral rebound effect," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 98(C).
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    6. Letort, Elodie & Le Gloux, Fanny & Dupraz Pierre, 2023. "How can labeling for health concerns improve environmental public good provisioning?," Working Papers 338910, Institut National de la recherche Agronomique (INRA), Departement Sciences Sociales, Agriculture et Alimentation, Espace et Environnement (SAE2).
    7. Chiradip Chatterjee & Nafisa Halim & Pallab Mozumder, 2021. "Emission Tax, Health Insurance, and Information: A Mechanism Design for Reducing Energy Consumption and Emission Risk," Economics of Disasters and Climate Change, Springer, vol. 5(3), pages 465-480, October.
    8. Freundt, Jana & Lange, Andreas, 2021. "On the voluntary provision of public goods under risk," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 93(C).
    9. Andreas Lange & Claudia Schwirplies & Andreas Ziegler, 2014. "On the interrelation between carbon offsetting and other voluntary climate protection activities: Theory and empirical evidence," MAGKS Papers on Economics 201447, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Faculty of Business Administration and Economics, Department of Economics (Volkswirtschaftliche Abteilung).
    10. Jana Freundt & Andreas Lange, 2019. "On the Impact of Risky Private and Public Returns in the Private Provision of Public Goods - The Case of Social Investments," CESifo Working Paper Series 7458, CESifo.
    11. Owens, Mark F. & Rennhoff, Adam D. & Baum, Charles L., 2018. "Consumer demand for charitable purchases: Evidence from a field experiment on Girl Scout Cookie sales," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 152(C), pages 47-63.
    12. Brumme, Anja, 2019. "Introducing a "green" good: Implications for environmental quality and social welfare," VfS Annual Conference 2019 (Leipzig): 30 Years after the Fall of the Berlin Wall - Democracy and Market Economy 203655, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.
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    14. Nathan W. Chan, 2019. "Funding Global Environmental Public Goods Through Multilateral Financial Mechanisms," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 73(2), pages 515-531, June.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Green markets; Impure public goods; Ethical consumption; Socially-responsible consumption; Bundled goods;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • Q2 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Renewable Resources and Conservation
    • Q3 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Nonrenewable Resources and Conservation
    • Q5 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics

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