From following to caring and acting: analyzing social media's role in shaping mindsets and transforming habits for sustainable living

The urgency for sustainable consumption underscores the need to disseminate sustainability knowledge and promote environmentally responsible habits across societies. Due to its broad reach, social media has the potential to promote sustainable consumption by influencing habits and increasing environmental awareness. In this study, we investigate the role of social media through the design and strategic use of an Instagram account, WeSustainQtr, which aimed to disseminate sustainability knowledge and encourage sustainable consumption practices in Qatar and similar settings, through culturally relevant and solution-oriented content. Emphasizing a multi-theoretical framework through systematic and empirical qualitative research approach, we triangulated between secondary data from a scoping review and primary data of 420 initial survey and 415 post-course interaction survey responses. Baseline sustainability awareness was assessed through an initial survey, while the subsequent survey explored participants’ perceptions of sustainability and self-reported behaviors following their engagement with the account contents. Because responses could not be matched at the individual level, observed differences are interpreted as group-level patterns rather than evidence of individual behavioral change. Participants reported adopting a range of sustainable practices— from reducing single-use plastics and household energy consumption, to recycling — into the tapestry of their daily lives, with some reported influencing sustainability practices within their social circles. Findings suggest that social media can be used as a potential platform for sustainability education and user engagement by supporting knowledge sharing and collective participation. Reported engagement suggest that tailored implementations that introduced options for private participation and recognized culturally valuable themes may support followers’ engagement while also aligning with local norms towards privacy in the culturally sensitive context of Qatar and similar contexts. The findings also provide practical insights for integrating similar approaches into higher education curricula through structured learning activities that can encourage meaningful student engagement and behavioral change.