What will happen to the world and the whole society in the future? Can we who live in the developed countries continue to use as much stuff as we use today? I looked at a video “The Story of Stuff” where they discuss this important issue, our over consumption. If everybody in the world consume as much as they do in the United States and I suppose in other developed countries as well, we would need 3-5 more planets like ours. We don’t have that much natural raw material. We must reduce our consumption; otherwise there will be terrible consequences. Is it fair that we use that many resources when there are lots of people in the world who starve and live in huts or in tents as the people in Haiti subjected to the earthquake? I think it is a bit unfair.
Another aspect of this situation is that the people who produce most of the products we use are from the developing countries. They are exposed to most of the negative toxins and emissions that this production results in. But can the production favour them in some way? Hopefully they earn some money that can make life easier for them and their families. That’s good!
I am still a bit critical to the video and think it is a bit exaggerated. I don’t know if it really is as bad as Annie Leonard says in the video. How can she be sure, are the numbers taken from some study? Even if so, I don’t completely believe in the numbers but I think the message is important.
Hi Sara!
SvaraRaderaIt seems that you and i had a different approach to the subject. I agree with you about how we need to reduce our consumption and also our rate of polluting the world. Our generation of people take the world for granted and dont think about the consequences. So you might be right by questioning what will happen with the world in the future.
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Stefan
3-5 more planets … I did one of those tests once – called ecological footprint – and it was quite horrifying how many planets my lifestyle required. When thinking about this, the movie Blade Runner (1986) crosses my mind. In this movie rich people abandon Earth to live in a much nicer colony on another planet. In our lifetime we will probably not see something that drastic, but I guess we will experience how some aspects of the life we take for granted will only be available for those with a lot of money. Take flying for example. After we have reached peak oil some experts say that flying will be a luxury. If we take this one step further – what we be next? Will areas with unpolluted air be available to a certain few who are loaded? Scary, isn’t it? =)
SvaraRaderaI agree in what you are saying. I also thought a bit about where she got all the facts. It must have been from a study. I think that today many countries trays to do better. We see more and more that all the big countries meet up and talk about this subject.
SvaraRadera