Outline the view that in a consumer society, rising affluence is associated with both more waste and greater recycling.
Introduction to the question, what is affluence?
Affluence means wealth, which in a consumer society equips you to consume more and therefore generate more waste.
Evidence-
. Supermarkets are enforcing re-usable carrier bags to prevent unnecessary plastic bag waste. This is also an advantage to supermarkets as they will save money when stocking up on carrier bags and also profit from this scheme as supermarkets charge a fixed amount for consumers to buy them. However waste within supermarkets can generate from a variety of areas such as, production, transportation or the unloading of the products (Tesco, 2013).
. (WRAP), is
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This shows how necessities can be used productively and reduce unwanted waste. People who attend the food bank, through different reasons, do not have the affluence to purchase what they want nor waste what they want. Individuals attending the Food Bank have choice constraints as they are not allowed to choose the food they get, while others have choice because they have the money to buy what they want.
According to Office for National Statistics (ONS) (2012) Family Spending, 2011 Edition [Online]. Available at http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/family-spending/familyspending/family-spending-2011-edition/index.html (Accessed 11 April 2014), People spent more money on restaurants (including pubs/takeaways) and hotels than they did for education or health. However restaurants and hotels could be a necessity for those who travel for work, work abroad, etc. Depending on personal circumstances, this could be seen as money
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This may leave that individual with very little time and therefore incapable of pursuing the “greener life-style”. There are a variety of different ways to contribute to a “greener life-style” as well as recycling. Solar panels that can be installed on people house roof tops in an aim to reduce energy bills and save money. On the other hand, if one is on benefits and getting help paying their bills and with the cost of the installation of the solar panels, the advantage outweighs the dis-advantage which is a factor that prevents people perusing the “greener life-style” that way. Wealthy people will be able to afford solar panels but some may not as they have the wealth no to struggle financially, therefore having no gain from