A segurança nas actividades de ar livre e de aventura

RESUMO: A temática da segurança é uma das preocupações principais da sociedade actual. Dentro deste tema que é estudado nas mais diversas áreas da sociedade, a sua aplicação nas actividades de ar livre e de aventura é uma questão fundamental. As atividades de ar livre e de aventura caracterizam-se por um meio incerto, onde é importante o domínio das técnicas e aplicação das regras de segurança. É certo que cada vez existem mais praticantes das actividades de ar livre e de aventura, o aumento dos praticantes faz-se ao nivel desportivo, recreativo ou de lazer. O turismo de aventura está em crescimento em todo o mundo ocidental, sendo cada vez mais importante estudar o risco e a segurança nestas actividades. Sabemos que um dos locais mais importantes para trabalhar o risco e a segurança é ao nivel da escola, sendo o objectivo deste estudo verificar se a preocupação com a segurança está presente nos programas leccionados. Este estudo procurou identificar vários modelos de gestão de risco e verificar se estes seriam abordados nos três programas. Todas as entidades falam em segurança, diminuição do risco mas é importante clarificar o conceito e estudar se existe uma efectiva preocupação com esta questão. Este estudo procura enquadrar e discutir vários modelos de gestão de risco, verificando se essa existência está presente nos programas de EF, nos do Desporto Escolar e nos da ULHT. ABSTRACT: Security is a major concern of nowadays society. Within this subject that is studied in various areas of society, its applications in outdoor activities and adventure are a key issue. Outdoor activities and adventure are characterized by an uncertain environment, where it is important to master the techniques and application of safety rules. It is true that every day there are more people practicing outdoor activities and adventure, this increase is at the level of sport, recreation or leisure. Adventure tourism is growing throughout the Western world, and as so, it is increasingly important to study the risk and safety in these activities. We know that one of the most important places to study risk and safety is at school level, aiming to verify if security is present in the taught programs. This study sought to identify several models of risk management and verify if these would be addressed in the three programs. António Pedro Raposo Marques Vidal A SEGURANÇA NAS ACTIVIDADES DE AR LIVRE E DE AVENTURA 6 Many entities talk about safety and risk reduction, but it is important to clarify the concept and it is important to study if there is a real concern with this issue. This study seeks to encompass and discuss various models of risk management, ensuring that they are present in the programs of Physical Education in Sports School and the ULHT.

Segurança privada : a actividade privada ao serviço do interesse público

Vivemos uma época de empolgante dialética entre o público e o privado. Para alguns, são conceitos basicamente e ontologicmente antagónicos, que (quase sempre) forçosamente se excluem, ou só de má vontade convivem um com o outro. Por outros tantos o público está a ganhar terreno excessivo à autonomia privada, numa era de «big brother» vivenciado, que não teríamos querido nem imaginado possível. Mas em contraste, há quem peça a convocação do Estado, para áreas das quais, neste nosso mundo ocidental, havia sido proscrito. A banca será o melhor exemplo, mas está longe de ser o único. A harmonia entre os públicos (o bem público, o serviço público, o interesse público) e os privados (com a sua iniciativa, criatividade, visão e ambição) devem coexistir numa harmonia que se quer perfeita. A segurança privada demonstra que isso é não só possível, como é desejável e essencial. Assim, cada um cumpra o seu papel.

Nutrigenetics and CVD: what does the future hold?

CVD is a common killer in both the Western world and the developing world. It is a multifactorial disease that is influenced by many environmental and genetic factors. Although public health advice to date has been principally in the form of prescribed population-based recommendations, this approach has been surprisingly unsuccessful in reducing CVD risk. This outcome may be explained, in part, by the extreme variability in response to dietary manipulations between individuals and interactions between diet and an individual's genetic background, which are defined by the term 'nutrigenetics'. The shift towards personalised nutritional advice is a very attractive proposition. In principle an individual could be genotyped and given dietary advice specifically tailored to their genetic make-up. Evidence-based research into interactions between fixed genetic variants, nutrient intake and biomarkers of CVD risk is increasing, but still limited. The present paper will review the evidence for interactions between dietary fat and three common polymorphisms in the apoE, apoAI and PPAR gamma genes. Increased knowledge of how these and other genes influence dietary response should increase the understanding of personalised nutrition. While targeted dietary advice may have considerable potential for reducing CVD risk, the ethical issues associated with its routine use need careful consideration.

Cannabis sativa and the endogenous cannabinoid system: therapeutic potential for appetite regulation

The herb Cannabis sativa (C. sativa) has been used in China and on the Indian subcontinent for thousands of years as a medicine. However, since it was brought to the UK and then the rest of the western world in the late 19th century, its use has been a source of controversy. Indeed, its psychotropic side effects are well reported but only relatively recently has scientific endeavour begun to find valuable uses for either the whole plant or its individual components. Here, we discuss evidence describing the endocannabinoid system, its endogenous and exogenous ligands and their varied effects on feeding cycles and meal patterns. Furthermore we also critically consider the mounting evidence which suggests non‐tetrahydrocannabinol phytocannabinoids play a vital role in C. sativa‐induced feeding pattern changes. Indeed, given the wide range of phytocannabinoids present in C. sativa and their equally wide range of intra‐, inter‐ and extra‐cellular mechanisms of action, we demonstrate that non‐Δ9tetrahydrocannabinol phytocannabinoids retain an important and, as yet, untapped clinical potential.

Role of mammalian lignans in the prevention and treatment of prostate cancer

Prostate cancer is poised to become the most prevalent male cancer in the Western world. In Japan and China, incidence rates are almost 10-fold less those reported in the United States and the European Union. Epidemiological data suggest that environmental factors such as diet can significantly influence the incidence and mortality of prostate cancer. The differences in lifestyle between East and West are one of the major risk factors for developing prostate cancer. Traditional Japanese and Chinese diets are rich in foods containing phytoestrogenic compounds, whereas the Western diet is a poor source of these phytochemicals. The lignan phytoestrogens are the most widely occurring of these compounds. In vitro and in vivo reports in the literature indicate that lignans have the capacity to affect the pathogenesis of prostate cancer. However, their precise mechanism of action in prostate carcinogenesis remains unclear. This article outlines the possible role of lignans in prostate cancer by reviewing the current in vitro and in vivo evidence for their anticancer activities. The intriguing concept that lignans may play a role in the prevention and treatment of prostate cancer over the lifetime of an individual is discussed.

Domestic energy models: complexities in defining specific tools

The domestic (residential) sector accounts for 30% of the world’s energy consumption hence plays a substantial role in energy management and CO2 emissions reduction efforts. Energy models have been generally developed to mitigate the impact of climate change and for the sustainable management and planning of energy resources. Although there are different models and model categories, they are generally categorised into top down and bottom up. Significantly, top down models are based on aggregated data while bottom up models are based on disaggregated data. These approaches create fundamental differences which have been the centre of debate since the 1970’s. These differences have led to noticeable discrepancies in results which have led to authors arguing that the models are of a more complementary than a substituting nature. As a result developing methods suggest that there is the need to integrate either the two models (bottom up − top down) or aspects that combine two bottom up models or an upgrade of top down models to compensate for the documented limitations. Diverse schools of thought argue in favour of these integrations – currently known as hybrid models. In this paper complexities of identifying country specific and/or generic domestic energy models and their applications in different countries have been critically reviewed. Predominantly from the review it is evident that most of these methods have been adapted and used in the ‘western world’ with practically no such applications in Africa.

Inflammatory modulation of exercise salience: using hormesis to return to a healthy lifestyle

Most of the human population in the western world has access to unlimited calories and leads an increasingly sedentary lifestyle. The propensity to undertake voluntary exercise or indulge in spontaneous physical exercise, which might be termed "exercise salience", is drawing increased scientific attention. Despite its genetic aspects, this complex behaviour is clearly modulated by the environment and influenced by physiological states. Inflammation is often overlooked as one of these conditions even though it is known to induce a state of reduced mobility. Chronic subclinical inflammation is associated with the metabolic syndrome; a largely lifestyle-induced disease which can lead to decreased exercise salience. The result is a vicious cycle that increases oxidative stress and reduces metabolic flexibility and perpetuates the disease state. In contrast, hormetic stimuli can induce an anti-inflammatory phenotype, thereby enhancing exercise salience, leading to greater biological fitness and improved functional longevity. One general consequence of hormesis is upregulation of mitochondrial function and resistance to oxidative stress. Examples of hormetic factors include calorie restriction, extreme environmental temperatures, physical activity and polyphenols. The hormetic modulation of inflammation, and thus, exercise salience, may help to explain the highly heterogeneous expression of voluntary exercise behaviour and therefore body composition phenotypes of humans living in similar obesogenic environments.

Understanding Foreign Masters : the examples of Rabindranath Tagore and Fyodor Dostoyevskiy

The Indian author Rabindranath Tagore was received like royalty during his visits to the West after winning the Nobel Prize in 1913. Dreams of foreign cultures offered a retreat from a complicated age. In a time when the West appeared to be living under threat of disintegration and when industrialism seemed like a cul-de-sac, he appeared to offer the promise of a return to a lost paradise, a spiritual abode that is superior to the restless Western culture. However, Tagore’s popularity faded rapidly, most notably in England, the main target of his criticism. Soon after Tagore had won the Nobel Prize, the English became indignant at Tagore’s anti-colonial attitude.Tagore visited Sweden in 1921 and 1926 and was given a warm reception. His visits to Sweden can be seen as an episode in a longer chain of events. It brought to life old conceptions of India as the abode of spirituality on earth. Nevertheless, interest in him was a relatively short-lived phenomenon in Sweden. Only a few of his admirers in Sweden appreciated the complexity of Tagore’s achievements. His “anathema of mammonism”, as a Swedish newspaper called it, was not properly received. After a steady stream of translations his popularity flagged towards the end of the 1920s and then almost disappeared entirely. Tagores visits in Sweden gave an indication that India was on the way to liberate itself from its colonial legacy, which consequently contributed to the waning of his popularity in the West. In the long run, his criticism of the drawbacks in the western world became too obvious to maintain permanent interest. The Russian author Fyodor Dostoyevskiy’s Crime and Punishment (1866) has enticed numerous interpretations such as the purely biographical approach. In the nervous main character of the novel, the young student Raskolnikov, one easily recognizes Dostoyevskiy himself. The novel can also be seen as a masterpiece of realistic fiction. It gives a broad picture of Saint Petersburg, a metropolis in decay. Crime and Punishment can also be seen as one of the first examples of a modern psychological novel, since it is focused on the inner drama of its main character, the young student Raskolnikov. His actions seem to be governed by mere coincidences, dreams and the spur of the moment. it seems fruitful to study the novel from a psychoanalytical approach. In his book Raskolnikov: the way of the divided towards unity in Crime and Punishment (1982), a Swedish scholar, Owe Wikström, has followed this line of interpretation all the way to Freud’s disciple C G Jung. In addition to this, the novel functions as an exciting crime story. To a large extent it is Viktor Sjklovskij and other Russian formalists from the 1920s and onwards who have taught the western audience to understand the specific nature of the crime story. The novel could be seen as a story about religious conversion. Like Lasarus in the Bible (whose story attracts a lot of attention in the novel) Raskolnikov is awakened from the dead, and together with Sonja he starts a completely new life. The theme of conversion has a special meaning for Dostoyevskiy. For him the conversion meant an acknowledgement of the specific nature of Russia itself. Crime and punishment mirrors the conflict between traditional Russian values and western influences that has been obvious in Russia throughout the history of the country. The novel reflects a dialogue that still continues in Russian society. The Russian literary historian Mikhail Bakhtin, who is probably the most famous interpreter of the works of Dostoyevskiy, has become famous precisely by emphasizing the importance of dialogues in novels like Crime and Punishment. According to Bakhtin, this novel is characterized by its multitude of voices. Various ideas are confronted with each other, and each one of them is personified by one of the characters in the novel. The author has resigned from his position as the superior monitor of the text, and he leaves it to the reader to decide what interpretation is the correct one..The aim of the present study is thus to analyze the complex reactions in the west to Tagore’s visits in Sweden and to Fyodor Dostoyevskiys novel Crime and Punishment.. This leads to more general conclusions on communication between cultures.

Patient participation : what it is and what it is not

In general, patient participation is regarded as being informed and partaking in decision making regarding one’s care and treatment. This interpretation is common in legislation throughout the Western world and corresponding documents guiding health care professionals, as well as in scientific studies. Even though this understanding of the word participation can be traced to a growing emphasis on individuals’ autonomy in society and to certain dictionary defi nitions, there are other ways of understanding participation from a semantic point of view, and no trace of patients’ descriptions of what it is to participate can be found in these definitions. Hence, the aim of this dissertation was to understand patients’ experience of the phenomenon of patient participation. An additional aim was to understand patients’ experience of non-participation and to describe the conditions for patient participation and non-participation, in order to understand the prerequisites for patient participation. The dissertation comprises four papers. The philosophical ideas of Ricoeur provided a basis for the studies: how communication can present ways to understand and explain experiences of phenomena through phenomenological hermeneutics. The first and second studies involved a group of patients living with chronic heart failure. For the fi rst study, 10 patients were interviewed, with a narrative approach, about their experience of participation and non-participation, as defi ned by the participants. For the second study, 11 visits by three patients at a nurse-led outpatient clinic were observed, and consecutive interviews were performed with the patients and the nurses, investigating what they experience as patient participation and non-participation. A triangulation of data was performed to analyse the occurrence of the phenomena in the observed visits. For paper 3 and 4, a questionnaire was developed and distributed among a diverse group of people who had recent experience of being patients. The questionnaire comprised respondent’s description of what patient participation is, using items based on findings in Study 1, along with open-ended questions for additional aspects and general issues regarding situations in which the respondent had experienced patient participation and/or non-participation. The findings show additional aspects to patient participation: patient participation is being provided with information and knowledge in order for one to comprehend one’s body, disease, and treatment and to be able to take self-care actions based on the context and one’s values. Participation was also found to include providing the information and knowledge one has about the experience of illness and symptoms and of one’s situation. Participation occurs when being listened to and being recognised as an individual and a partner in the health care team. Non-participation, on the other hand, occurs when one is regarded as a symptom, a problem to be solved. To avoid non-participation, the information provided needs to be based on the individual’s need and with recognition of the patient’s knowledge and context. In conclusion, patient participation needs to be reconsidered in health care regulations and in clinical settings: patients’ defi nitions of participation, found to be close to the dictionaries’ description of sharing, should be recognised and opportunities provided for sharing knowledge and experience in two-way-communication.

The Family Novel in the Emerging Nation-State: A Comparative Study of Ba Jin’s Jia and Lev Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina

The theme of family in literature and in popular discourse occurs at times when the family as an institution is under attack. Attacks against the family coupled with defence of the family are viewed as the barometer of people’s satisfaction with the society in which they live. This outpouring of emotion, whether it is in defence of or attacking the family, is the result of the family’s position on the bridge between nature and society – a fortunate (or a detrimental) link between an individual and the units that make up a society. Across the United States and much of the western world, the battle for gay marriage and inclusive civil unions has revealed the fissures in our collective moral view of the family. The conservative concern about the absence of ‘family values’ is magnified by our situation in a world of flux. Inflation, war, terrorist threats, and the depletion of natural resources are but a few examples. When so much is unknown, how do we position ourselves? What anchors us to the past, gives us comfort in the present, and supports us in the future if not the family? Alternatively, what coddles us more in the past, shackles us more to the present, and lulls us more into a fixed conception of the future than the family? My research is not a sociological survey into the family nor does it stake any claims to understanding the present state of the family in society. The study seeks, however, to shed light on the rhetorical uses of the family by analysing two novels that are inextricably concerned with the theory of the family in times of heightened social change. In particular, my research focuses upon the social role and political meaning of the family in Anna Karenina and Jia.

Caracterização de núcleos celulares no adenocarcinoma primário de reto por análise de imagem digital

O câncer colorretal é um tumor maligno freqüente no mundo ocidental. É o terceiro em freqüência e o segundo em mortalidade nos países desenvolvidos. No Brasil está entre as seis neoplasias malignas mais encontradas e a quinta em mortalidade. Dos tumores colorretais, aproximadamente 40% estão localizados no reto. A sobrevida, em cinco anos, dos pacientes operados por câncer do reto varia entre 40% e 50%, estando os principais fatores prognósticos, utilizados na prática clínica corrente, baseados em critérios de avaliação clínico-patológicos. A avaliação das alterações morfométricas e densimétricas nas neoplasias malignas tem, recentemente, sido estudadas e avaliadas através da análise de imagem digital e demonstrado possibilidades de utilização diagnóstica e prognóstica. A assinatura digital é um histograma representativo de conjuntos de características de textura da cromatina do núcleo celular obtida através da imagem computadorizada. O objetivo deste estudo foi a caracterização dos núcleos celulares neoplásicos no adenocarcinoma primário de reto pelo método da assinatura digital e verificar o valor prognóstico das alterações nucleares da textura da cromatina nuclear para esta doença. Foram avaliados, pelo método de análise de imagem digital, 51 casos de pacientes operados no Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre (HCPA) entre 1988 e 1996 e submetidos à ressecção eletiva do adenocarcinoma primário de reto, com seguimento de cinco anos pós-operatório, ou até o óbito antes deste período determinado pela doença, e 22 casos de biópsias normais de reto obtidas de pacientes submetidos a procedimentos endoscópicos, para controle do método da assinatura digital. A partir dos blocos de parafina dos espécimes estocados no Serviço de Patologia do HCPA, foram realizadas lâminas coradas com hematoxilina e eosina das quais foram selecionados 3.635 núcleos dos adenocarcinomas de reto e 2.366 núcleos dos controles da assinatura digital, totalizando 6.001 núcleos estudados por análise de imagem digital. De cada um destes núcleos foram verificadas 93 características, sendo identificadas 11 características cariométricas com maior poder de discriminação entre as células normais e neoplásicas. Desta forma, através da verificação da textura da cromatina nuclear, foram obtidos os histogramas representativos de cada núcleo ou conjunto de núcleos dos grupos ou subgrupos estudados, também no estadiamento modificado de Dukes, dando origem às assinaturas digitais correspondentes. Foram verificadas as assinaturas nucleares, assinaturas de padrão histológico ou de lesões e a distribuição da Densidade Óptica Total. Houve diferença significativa das características entre o grupo normal e o grupo com câncer, com maior significância para três delas, a Área, a Densidade Óptica Total e a Granularidade nuclear. Os valores das assinaturas médias nucleares foram: no grupo normal 0,0009 e nos estadiamentos; 0,9681 no A, 4,6185 no B, 2,3957 no C e 2,1025 no D e diferiram com significância estatística (P=0,001). A maior diferença do normal ocorreu no subgrupo B de Dukes-Turnbull. As assinaturas nucleares e de padrão histológico mostraram-se distintas no grupo normal e adenocarcinoma, assim como a distribuição da Densidade Óptica Total a qual mostra um afastamento progressivo da normalidade no grupo com câncer. Foi possível a caracterização do adenocarcinoma de reto, que apresentou assinaturas digitais específicas. Em relação ao prognóstico, a Densidade Óptica Total representou a variável que obteve o melhor desempenho, além do estadiamento, como preditor do desfecho.

Expressão de p53 e relação clínico-patológica no adenocarcinoma de reto

O adenocarcinoma colorretal é um dos tumores malignos mais freqüentes no mundo ocidental. Sua incidência varia mundialmente; nos Estados Unidos (EUA), é o terceiro câncer mais comum entre os homens e o segundo mais comum entre as mulheres, sendo a segunda causa de morte por câncer, superada apenas pelo tumor de pulmão. No Brasil, está entre as seis neoplasias mais freqüentes, ocupando a quarta posição em mortalidade. Os principais indicadores prognósticos do adenocarcinoma colorretal incluem a diferenciação histológica, profundidade de invasão e ocorrência de metástases. Recentemente, têm sido realizados diversos estudos usando técnicas de biologia molecular objetivando a identificação de novos parâmetros prognósticos. Entre estes, os fatores que regulam o ciclo celular influenciando no crescimento e mecanismo de apoptose têm demonstrado resultados promissores. O p53 é um gene supressor de tumores, localizado no braço curto do cromossomo 17; produz uma proteína chamada p53. Sua principal função é controlar pontos de checagem do ciclo celular, promover o reparo do DNA através do estímulo de outras proteínas (p21, por exemplo) e estimular a apoptose. Mutações deste gene produzem uma proteína p53 inativa que acumula nas células tumorais. A expressão desta proteína alterada é detectada em 30 a 70% dos tumores de reto e pode estar relacionada a mau prognóstico. O p53 é um dos genes mais comumente mutados no câncer humano. O objetivo deste estudo foi correlacionar a expressão imuno-histoquímica da proteína p53 com variáveis clínico-patológicas do adenocarcinoma de reto e sobrevida. Foram estudados 83 casos de pacientes operados no Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre entre 1985 e 1997 através de reação imunohistoquímica utilizando anticorpo monoclonal Pab-1801 em amostras biológicas fixadas em formalina e armazenadas em blocos de parafina. Com um ponto de corte de 5%, 44 pacientes (53%) demonstraram expressão imunohistoquímica da proteína p53 maior que 5% e, com um ponto de corte de 20%, 36 pacientes (43,4%) demonstraram a expressão maior que 20%. Não houve associação estatisticamente significativa entre a expressão de p53 e as variáveis idade, gênero, localização, tamanho do tumor e comprometimento circunferencial. Encontramos associação entre p53 e óbito, recidiva local, metástases e recidiva total quando utilizado o ponto de corte de 20%, indicando um pior prognóstico nos pacientes com p53 positivos. Na análise multivariada em relação à sobrevida, o p53 teve poder prognóstico independente em relação às variáveis da classificação Astler- Coller e grau de diferenciação histológica da neoplasia.

Possíveis implicações epistemológicas do conceito de interação não-ordinária para a noção de sincronicidade de Jung

Este estudo teórico visa propor, em sentido mais amplo, a noção de totalidade não-fragmentada como referencial de "visão do mundo" e, consequentemente, de construção do conhecimento. Para tanto, faz-se necessário estabelecer as perspectivas de um redimensionamento epistemológico, objetivando edificar os fundamentos para a viabilização de uma teoria sistêmica do conhecimento, baseada na noção de totalidade. Tal teoria se reporta, em âmbito mais estrito, aos chamados sistemas autogênicos não-ordinários, que são sistemas especiais, voltados a se constituir como uma alternativa de interpretação para os sistemas humanos. Nesse sentido, tem-se por objetivo orientar-se para a síntese de uma conceituação especial para o domínio do "vivo", em detrimento da vigência de uma linguagem ainda "fisicalista", oriunda da transferência de conceitos da ciência física para as outras áreas do conhecimento. Pretende-se, assim, que a conceituação dos chamados "sistemas autogênicos não-ordinários" se constitua como passível de ser aplicada ao âmbito da psicologia e, mais especificamente, aos fenômenos da psique. Para se alcançar esta meta, procurar-se-á exemplificar a procedente utilidade dos sistemas autogênicos à psicologia através de tentativa, ainda incipiente, de aplicabilidade da noção de interação não-ordinária (foco central desses sistemas) ao princípio de sincronicidade de Jung. A fim de realizar os objetivos supramencionados, este trabalho prende-se, em sua primeira parte, tanto a um estudo das fontes de constituição do conhecimento no ocidente quanto a uma apreciação das tendências epistemológicas da ciência contemporânea, no sentido de situar adequadamente a questão da proposta da noção de totalidade não-fragmentada. De forma contígua a este fim, procede-se a pesquisa da obra de certas personalidades do cenário do conhecimento no ocidente, por se terem, reconhecidamente, norteado segundo um referencial de totalidade.

O desenvolvimento constitucional da pena de morte nos Estados Unidos

Regulamentada desde as legislações mais arcaicas, como o Código de Hamurabi na Babilônia de 4.000 a.C., a pena de morte é um dos institutos mais antigos da humanidade. É também um dos temas mais controvertidos do Direito, cerne de debates que se intensificam na medida na medida em que os direitos humanos são universalizados, principalmente em meados do século XX. Diante disso, a audaciosa manutenção da pena de morte no sistema jurídico norte-americano, o último reduto do instituto no mundo ocidental, é o resultado de longo e árduo processo de desenvolvimento constitucional, orientado principalmente pelos constantes avanços da jurisprudência da Suprema Corte dos Estados Unidos sobre a pena capital. O presente trabalho tem como escopo apresentar o histórico de tais decisões, bem como fundamentos de cunho criminológico, moral, filosófico e econômico aplicáveis à sistemática da pena de morte, expondo ainda dados sobre a aplicação da pena capital e perspectivas para o futuro da sanção nos Estados Unidos.

Motivating sustainable goal choices and providing effective feedback

Overconsumption of natural resources and the associated environmental hazards are one of today’s most pressing global issues. In the western world, individual consumption in homes and workplaces is a key contributor to this problem. Reflecting the importance of individual action in this domain, this thesis focuses on studying and influencing choices related to sustainability and energy consumption made by people in their daily lives. There are three main components to this work. Firstly, this thesis asserts that people frequently make ineffective consumption reduction goal choices and attempts to understand the rationale for these poor choices by fitting them to goalsetting theory, an established theoretical model of behavior change. Secondly, it presents two approaches that attempt to influence goal choice towards more effective targets, one of which deals with mechanisms for goal priming and the other of which explores the idea that carefully designed toys can exert influence on children’s long term consumption behavior patterns. The final section of this thesis deals with the design of feedback to support the performance of environmentally sound activities. Key contributions surrounding goals include the finding that people choose easy sustainable goals despite immediate feedback as to their ineffectiveness and the discussion and study of goal priming mechanisms that can influence this choice process. Contributions within the design of value instilling toys include a theoretically grounded framework for the design of such toys and a completed and tested prototype toy. Finally, contributions in designing effective and engaging energy consumption feedback include the finding that negative feedback is best presented verbally compared with visually and this is exemplified and presented within a working feedback system. The discussions, concepts, prototypes and empirical findings presented in this work will be useful for both environmental psychologists and for HCI researchers studying eco-feedback.