‘I really care about the environment, but … ’ Unravelling the complex dilemmas of the eco-engaged through the enactment of environmental care

As environmental concerns intensify, individuals committed to sustainability are increasingly confronted with complex dilemmas in their attempts to integrate environmental care into their daily lives. This study examines the ways in which eco-engaged citizens navigate these ambivalences, focusing on the enactment of environmental care. Drawing on 23 semi-structured interviews with eco-engaged citizens in Flanders (Belgium), the findings show that environmental care is not a fixed set of eco-friendly behaviours but a dynamic and evolving practice. Participants often experience moral conflicts and practical dilemmas as they try to reconcile environmental care with stable routines and cultural expectations tied to other forms of care such as familial and bodily care. However, in some contexts, synergies can emerge between these different forms of care, blurring the boundaries between caring for oneself, one’s family and the environment. We conclude our study with a reflection on the multifaceted and situated nature of environmental care in everyday life.