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Sustainable Design Awards Toolkit
Section 1.3 - Consumerism and its effects The majority of the developed world live in a consumerist society. Mechanically functional products are discarded because they are no longer fashionably functional, for example; kitchen appliances, clothes, carpets, cars etc. What Europeans spend annually on ice-cream alone would provide water and sanitation for the world's population5. To purchase is to make a decision, and to make a decision is to exercise control. There is a prevailing attitude that to own is to be comfortable. However, 100% of coffee drinkers owning a grinder of their own has far more environmental implications than one coffee shop owning a grinder which is used by everybody.Example:
One of the most dominant factors in both traditional and sustainable design today is cost. To reduce cost is to increase profits. Example:
Fifty years ago, furnishing a house was very expensive, and products would be considered very carefully before anything was bought. The consumer was more likely to demand higher quality items, which would not need replacing for years, and would be prepared to inspect the products close up. This often meant that the products were made locally, or distributed to local retailers. Now consumers spend less time considering the quality and lifespan of the products, and many purchases are made from catalogues or over the Internet, where the buyer does not even see the product until it is delivered to their house. The global nature of the internet means that consumers can buy things which are not manufactured locally, and require long-distance transportation. Factors which influence today's purchases are more changeable - for example current fashions, and whether the item "fits in" with the consumer's other belongings. Products become less "precious" as they are more easily replaceable. As mass production and competition brings down prices, consumers have more flexibility, and tend to change their home environment more often, either through re-decorating or replacing old furniture. This "throw-away society" does have positive social implications. As people buy new things to replace old ones, more second hand items are made available, giving other people the opportunity to change their environment. Second hand goods are often sold through charity shops, providing a service to the community's poorer citizens, and also raising money for different charities. In this way, furnishing a house can be more affordable through the re-use of mechanically functional products. Current trends show that consumers are beginning to return to the more old fashioned behaviour of rejecting cheaper, poorer quality items in favour of higher quality products. This is partly due to a current fashion of "individuality" where mass produced products are rejected for hand made ones. This may have a positive environmental effect, but it is not a solution. 5Source: www.oneworld.net - last visited 21-06-202
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Sustainability Issues
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Toolkit Index
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