19 Mar Sustainable Consumerism?

Is there a reasonably sustainable level of consumerism? I found this blog post by an environmental policy graduate student very thought-provoking: The Myths of Sustainable Consumption. Below are my thoughts and reflections. Note that I categorized this particular blog post as both Green Living and Green Business. Consumer demand drives business after all.

Over-Consumption

This WorldWatch.org post makes the point that "eco-friendly" products aren't the only thing we need to do to live more sustainably in the US. We also need to curb our strong tendency to over-consume. Yet it's so easy to consume to excess because you walk into a store or go online and there's so much there for you to buy, buy, buy.

Sharing Resources

We have to remember there are 7 billion+ people on this planet and we need to make sure there's enough to go around. If you eat, buy, use  fuel, etc. you don't actually need, you take away the food, water and shelter that someone else in the world needs to survive. It's like taking birthday treats to grade school. You only get a second cookie after everyone else has had one. 

What to do?

In my mind, there are at least four questions you should ask when you're about to purchase products or services. If you can't answer at least 2, or 3 of these questions with an emphatic "yes," you would be wise to keep your wallet closed.

1. Will I actually use this regularly?
2. Am I sure I don't have something similar to this already?
3. Is this something of decent quality that will last a relatively long time?
4. Can this be repaired or mended when it gets damaged or worn out?

For example, we're considering a trip to the grocery store, but yet I look in the freezer and pantry and there no where near empty. Only the fridge is almost empty. How badly do we "need" to go shopping? Maybe we should look at using the stuff we already have before it expires and becomes waste!

To tell the truth, I only begin to realize how little I really need when I go primitive camping. Definitely something to think about here.