Growing up in Australia, I often remember reading books and watching television shows where products such as Twinkies and Oreos were mentioned/consumed by characters to our absolute fascination. We were spellbound by these products – what were they? They surely must taste amazing, much better than Vegemite and lamingtons.
That fascination continued until Oreo’s were available in Australia, when we realised, they were just chocolate biscuits after all.
This example really stands out in my mind as perfect example of consumption aspirations – we will want what is perhaps not available to us either through economic or geographical barriers. We will lust after it, dream of the day it will be ours – only to realise at some point that:
a) we already have some variation of it
or
b)it was over hyped and we really perhaps didn’t need it.
With the advent of industrial might, globalisation and the internet, there is no limit to what we can have and how much we can consume. Parlayed with easy credit, you have the perfect fodder for personal implosion. We have seen over consumption can lead to financial strain, family and relationship degradation and there are even reality tv shows such as Hoarders around this every growing theme. When did it get so out of control and even aspirational to have more than we need?
That new lipstick will not give you confidence. Nor will that new pair of shoes take away your sadness. Despite knowing such realities, we do succumb to the messages which state that the perception the world has of us is based on mainly material objects. Perhaps this link between what we purchase in order to feel positive about ourselves, the a key barrier to sustainable consumption.
In my opinion, consumption based on only your needs is what should be termed as truly sustainable as it also taps into a more fundamental shift in behaviour. A product or two, even with the right labelling and gimmicks cannot make your lifestyle sustainable if your consumption (in terms of volume/quantity) is out of control. If we began to communicate as a society the real cost of a product, from it’s carbon and water footprint to the workers that were part of it’s supply chain, we may be able to encourage responsible decision making. I’m not saying that we live in such scarcity that all our yearly waste fits into a mason jar – although that is a great lesson in what is possible. But it’s about identifying what will honestly be used by you and your family enough to justify the purchase of the item. This can stem from food items (global food waste is at alarming rates and an estimated 1.3 billion tonnes of food goes to waste every year) and even clothing (much of which once thrown away takes decades to decompose).
I also believe that information forms an integral part of making that behaviour change. Although we are an information driven society, it is alarming how much critical information is actually withheld from us, information that could change the way we view our social construct, each other and ourselves. For those who want to be informed of terms such as green, ethical, organic and fair – to find accurate information can be arduous due to the many sources and definitions out there. Reading the label of what you buy is fine, if the content listed is accurate enough reflect reality of the environments and communities it has passed through. After all, that ‘organic’ logo on your coconut water that has been flown in from Hawaii doesn’t describe the lifecycle of the product.
To address the larger global issues including climate change, food security and water scarcity, the consumption habits of the general population must evolve from the current trend of amassing too much. A concerted and conscious effort by labelling organisations, government agencies and manufacturers on aligning definitions and reporting is just as critical as developing the personal insight between need and want.
sabspeaksblog 