The Role of Leisure in Sustainable Development
43
pollution, and restoring natural elements to their proper state (Journal of Laws 2001
No. 62 item 627).
3 Leisure Time in the Context of Sustainable Consumption
In economic sciences, leisure time with all the activities it encompasses is approached
as a time of consumption in which various human needs are pursued (Cieloch et al.
1992). The needs associated with rest, entertainment, regeneration, tourist travel,
as well as the needs of broadly understood amateur activities, education and individual creativity, are satisfied in this leisure time. Meeting each of these needs must
be preceded by recognition of their nature (general—needs, detailed—wants), the
strength of their experience and the necessity to satisfy them, as well as social,
cultural, infrastructural, economic and natural/environmental determinants that affect
their experience, and the possibility to satisfy them. In economics, this can be done
by examining consumption, the act of satisfying one’s needs (using, spending, and
managing free time). The act of consumption occurs when a given need is homogeneous and can be met once. However, the actions are usually repeated many times
while creating a consumption process that takes place in a specific time sequence
in which the purchase and the use of goods and services that allows one to manage
the leisure time take place. Consumption processes should be characterized by the
quality of being self-sustaining, i.e., including the mechanisms that minimize the risk
of internal disorders that limit or prevent further consumption (Kiełczewski 2004).
It can be assumed that a sustainable level of consumption is when material goods
and services are consumed in a sufficient way to meet basic needs and achieve a
higher quality of life, while minimizing the consumption of natural resources and
materials harmful to the environment that arise at all stages of production, without
restraining the rights of future generations to such consumption (Małysa-Kaleta 2018;
Jastrz˛ ebska-Smolga 2000; Jano´ s-Kresło 2006). Satisfying basic human needs (and
not desires related to satisfying whims) is part of the idea of sustainable consumption.
It also refers to putting the quality of life above material conditions, then minimizing
the use of natural resources, waste generation and pollution, taking into account
the life cycle of products (their impact on the environment both in production and
disposal processes), and taking all measures in consideration of future generations
(Małysa-Kaleta 2018).
In the trend of sustainable consumption during leisure time, voluntary simplicity
or minimalism should also be mentioned. It means that the consumer limits material
consumption in order to release resources of money and time, as well as to seek
satisfaction through the intangible aspects of life. This situation can be identified
with accepting lower incomes and lower levels of consumption by the consumer
in exchange for having more leisure time for rest and the freedom to achieve life
goals, the achievement of which does not depend on the amount of money. In the
sphere of transportation, resignation from driving your own car or resignation from
having a car and choosing to walk, cycle or use public transport, as well as joint
43
pollution, and restoring natural elements to their proper state (Journal of Laws 2001
No. 62 item 627).
3 Leisure Time in the Context of Sustainable Consumption
In economic sciences, leisure time with all the activities it encompasses is approached
as a time of consumption in which various human needs are pursued (Cieloch et al.
1992). The needs associated with rest, entertainment, regeneration, tourist travel,
as well as the needs of broadly understood amateur activities, education and individual creativity, are satisfied in this leisure time. Meeting each of these needs must
be preceded by recognition of their nature (general—needs, detailed—wants), the
strength of their experience and the necessity to satisfy them, as well as social,
cultural, infrastructural, economic and natural/environmental determinants that affect
their experience, and the possibility to satisfy them. In economics, this can be done
by examining consumption, the act of satisfying one’s needs (using, spending, and
managing free time). The act of consumption occurs when a given need is homogeneous and can be met once. However, the actions are usually repeated many times
while creating a consumption process that takes place in a specific time sequence
in which the purchase and the use of goods and services that allows one to manage
the leisure time take place. Consumption processes should be characterized by the
quality of being self-sustaining, i.e., including the mechanisms that minimize the risk
of internal disorders that limit or prevent further consumption (Kiełczewski 2004).
It can be assumed that a sustainable level of consumption is when material goods
and services are consumed in a sufficient way to meet basic needs and achieve a
higher quality of life, while minimizing the consumption of natural resources and
materials harmful to the environment that arise at all stages of production, without
restraining the rights of future generations to such consumption (Małysa-Kaleta 2018;
Jastrz˛ ebska-Smolga 2000; Jano´ s-Kresło 2006). Satisfying basic human needs (and
not desires related to satisfying whims) is part of the idea of sustainable consumption.
It also refers to putting the quality of life above material conditions, then minimizing
the use of natural resources, waste generation and pollution, taking into account
the life cycle of products (their impact on the environment both in production and
disposal processes), and taking all measures in consideration of future generations
(Małysa-Kaleta 2018).
In the trend of sustainable consumption during leisure time, voluntary simplicity
or minimalism should also be mentioned. It means that the consumer limits material
consumption in order to release resources of money and time, as well as to seek
satisfaction through the intangible aspects of life. This situation can be identified
with accepting lower incomes and lower levels of consumption by the consumer
in exchange for having more leisure time for rest and the freedom to achieve life
goals, the achievement of which does not depend on the amount of money. In the
sphere of transportation, resignation from driving your own car or resignation from
having a car and choosing to walk, cycle or use public transport, as well as joint