The Importance Of Sustainable Consumption

In recent years, household consumption in developed countries has been taught to be a key contributing factor to global problems such as climate change, depletion of energy resources and biodiversity loss. Household consumption can be defined as the consumption of goods and services by households including the selection, purchase, use, maintenance, repair and disposal of any product or service OECD (2002). As society have become more aware of household consumption and the problems that occur as a result, Sustainable Consumption has attracted much attention and has become of great importance to society. Sustainable Consumption can be defined as attempts to reduce negative environmental and social impacts of consumption by consuming less or

Modern industrial societies see ‘nature’ as something to be controlled, shaped, tamed. ‘Nature’ is something ‘we’ can regulate through ‘science’. Farming is an example of this as the land can be used more often and grass can be grown out of season as farmers have access to artificial fertilizers and advanced machinery due to new technology and modernisation. Lambs can be born out of season or just on time for the Easter market because of artificial solutions that can be used due to modernisation and technology. Thus this results in a change to the nature of the landscapes and countryside’s causing birds and animals to migrate and also causing flooding as the land is being constantly used. The mass production of meat as lambs are born all year round results in overconsumption of food resulting in more waste causing more problems for the environment. Thus this modernisation in society is caused by the demand from consumers for resources. Food chains serve billions of burgers to customers all over the world each year resulting in a huge demand for cattle. This demand Leeds to consequences to nature and the environment as society puts peoples wants before thinking about the effect it’s having on the environment. Latin American are using the majority of their land for cattle grazing but this results in the tropical forests being destroyed

Ireland’s household consumption levels have increased dramatically in the past decade. Ireland currently has higher energy usage per dwelling and higher CO2 emissions than the EU average. This is expected to continue to grow over the next 25 years (OECD, 2011)’ (Lavelle et al. 2012). People in developed countries not being aware of their unsustainable consumption practices and what causes them. And some do not care. This is due to; the logic of capitalism, consumer culture and social status. The growth of capitalism shapes our current economic system and encourages people to consume and waste too much. People no longer believe in reusing or repairing their belongings and so throw them away thus resulting in an increased consumption of luxuries. The accumulation of stuff puts people on a ‘treadmill of consumption’. People also buy things to impress others and express their social standing. This household energy consumption has a negative impact on society and the environment. It is through the awareness of sustainable consumption and its importance to protecting the environment that one is knowledgeable of this and so makes changes to their way of living. For example organisations set up energy budgets and completions in an effort to encourage society into sustainable consumption. Households are also more aware of the amount of energy being used and so manage this by