Rethinking Consumption for the Future (Part 2)

In the last post, we explored findings from a recent report called “Global Material Resources Outlook to 2060”, released by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). The post discussed how the projections for gross domestic product (GDP) and greenhouse gas emissions point to the incompatibility of economic growth and environmental stewardship. This was followed by an examination of how society’s obsession with GDP is resulting in more consumption which is driving climate change.

However, it is one thing to reject the ideas propelled by GDP but how does this translate into the real world? By focusing on societal well-being instead of raising GDP, system-wide changes would ideally be implemented to improve people’s lives, dramatically reduce consumption, and empower individuals to make choices to reduce their own consumption. As discussed in the report “1.5-Degree Lifestyles: Targets and options for reducing lifestyle carbon footprints” in a previous blog post, examples given for these type of changes were “a need to improve production processes, increase the supply of low-carbon products or services by the private sector, and bring about a shift in infrastructure as well as introduce more national policies in order to realise many options.” The second blog post of that series then described system-wide changes relevant to Sault Ste. Marie, including active transportation, a single-use plastics ban, and embracing electric vehicle charging infrastructure.

Addressing consumption is also going to involve questioning the pursuit of materialism as a means of happiness. Do we need a large house, high paying job, top of the line technology, and the freshest clothes to be fulfilled? That is certainly what the world of consumerism wants you to believe. The constant barrage of advertising we face gives us the message: buy this thing because it will vastly improve your life. In this respect, society is organized in a manner that is compelling us to consume more, but there is no indication of any correlation between this and happiness. We do not need to consume in copious amounts to improve our lives. By identifying what truly drives us and makes up happy, we are able to be fulfilled with less. This might include being connected to nature and others, enjoying the outdoors more often, appreciating art, drama, and music, sharing with others, solving problems, and giving back. In addition, if system-wide changes are implemented to make enjoying life in this manner more accessible, we are then able to create a society that is less dependent on the extraction of resources. Let us learn from the indigenous peoples, who treat the land as sacred and live lives of fulfillment in harmony with nature.

The ideal result of focusing on proper ways to measure societal well-being instead of GDP are system wide changes that reduce consumption and go hand-in-hand with individual reduction of consumption.

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