consumption & voluntary simplicity
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Consumption & Voluntary Simplicity. Source: elephantjournal.com. All of our “stuff” makes an impact. Emissions are produced…. 55% emissions related to consumption. What do we mean by stuff?. Anything that is produced, which you purchase, use and then dispose of. Cars Clothes Appliances - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
CONSUMPTION &
VOLUNTARY SIMPLICITY
Source: elephantjournal.com
All of our “stuff” makes an impact
Emissions are produced…
55% emissions related to consumption
Agriculture8%
Industry30%
Commercial17%
Transportation28% Residential
17%
Greenhouse Gas Emissions by Sector
What do we mean by stuff? Anything that is
produced, which you purchase, use and then dispose of. Cars Clothes Appliances Food Books Magazines
Forks Lamps Pens Electronics Clocks Etc.
Greenhouse Gas Sources and SinksAssociated with the Material Life Cycle
Creating stuff creates emissions Where does it come from? How is it produced? What emissions are associated with
producing this item? What emissions are associated with
transporting this? What emissions are associated with the
sales/marketing of this?
Using some stuff causes emissions Are emissions created when this is used? Does it require a power source?
Electronics
End of life emissions What happens to it after you’re finish
using it? What is it made of?
Does it decompose? How many different materials are in it? Can they be
Reused? Recycled?
Does it go to the landfill?
Waste produces emissions Landfills produce methane Harms wildlife Requires space
Recycling reduces emissions Saves energy inputs Reduces the need to extract virgin material
Recycling 1 ton of paper saves 2000lbs CO2 Recycling steel and tin cans saves 60-74% of
the energy used to produce them from raw materials and reduces associated air and water pollution by the same percentages
Oregon saved 28 Trillion BTU by recycling in 2004 (2.5% state’s total energy use)
Results – Energy (by process)Recycling is Up in Oregon, But So is Waste Generation
45
Recovery + Disposal = Generation
0.0 = Generated = Disposed= RecoveredKey
Total Solid Waste Disposed, Recovered & Generated
Pounds Per Person Per Day 1992 - 2005
00.5
11.5
22.5
33.5
44.5
55.5
66.5
Poun
ds P
er P
erso
n Pe
r D
ay
77.5
8
2002 200520031992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2004
1.5 2.02.3
2.7
4.2 4.1 4.3 4.5
2.8
4.4
5.76.1
6.67.2 7.2 7.5
4.3
3.2
7.7
4.3
3.3
4.5
8.0
3.5
4.6
8.4
3.8
1.5
Composting reduces emissions Methane produced in landfills come
primarily from food and yard waste Decomposition in compost is aerobic
Produces some CO2 (but has a much lower impact)
Decomposition in landfills is anaerobic Produces Methane
Some materials Paper Metals
Recycling aluminum saves 95% of the energy needed to produce new aluminum
Recycling steel and tin cans saves 74% of the energy used to produce them
About 70% of all metal used just once and is discarded
Plastics
LANDFILL
95% of total energy used and pollution generated comes before can is even created!
The Life Cycle of a CD or DVD Working in groups of two see if you can
create a lifecylce of a CD or DVD. Write the steps on a paper and be ready
to share with your classmates. After everyone has shared we will see
the EPAs version.
Most landfill content shouldn’t be there
Paper38%
Yard Waste15%
Food 14%
Plastics14%
Metals9%
Textiles9%
Landfill contents
So What’s The Problem?
Resource & Environmental IssuesPersonal Debt +Stress +Happiness In QuestionImpacts On Quality of LifeThrow away Culture – Use It Once MentalityCorporations Using Planned Obsolescence Model
Economy Tied To Growth Model
Having ‘Stuff’ Can Be Equated With ‘Status’
Media Promotes Consumption Model
Policies Encourage Growth & Consumption
Consumption and Waste:Ethics
35 times more resources for him …than him
Options for Change
Close the loop!
Conscious Consumption: Deciding Deciding to buy
Do you really need it or just want it? Am I trying to fulfill an internal need with an
external thing? What would I do if I didn’t have this? What impact did this have? What else could I use?
Once you decide to buy, ask: Do you want to support this
company? Green alternative? Local alternative? Recycled content? How much? Recyclable? Will use emit GHGs? How long will it last? How much packaging?
When you’re using it, ask: Is it using energy? Can it be unplugged? Can it be recharged? Does it really have to stay cold/hot?
When you’re done with it Reuse
Reuse for another purpose Donate to a charitable organization Sell on Craigslist, etc.
Recycle Turn it into something else
Compost Dispose
Activities
Analyze Your Consumption
Look At Your Decisions…….. Cloth vs.
Disposable Paper vs. Plastic Disposable Cups Paper Use Styrofoam Cotton vs.
Synthetic
Use More Than Once
Recycled ContentBuy It UsedRepair StuffRe-giftBuy Durable Goods
CLOSE THE LOOP
Pairs Activity Think of one gift your received this past
Holiday season. Do you still have it? If so, what are the
qualities that made you keep it? Think about a gift you did not keep, what
are the qualities it had that made you not keep it?
How could you change the throwaway gift problem next year?
► Recycling still takes energy, makes pollution: Reduce vs. Eliminate Impacts
► Most environmental impacts occur in the “pre-disposal” stages (i.e., extraction, processing, transportation, marketing).Reduce: eliminate impacts upstream & downstream
Reuse: using a product in its original form, without the repulping, melting, grinding, or other mechanical or chemical reformulation associated with recycling.
e.g., reusing a personal computer saves 5 - 20 times more energy than recycling it; reusing a corrugated box saves 3 - 4 times more energy than recycling it.
Recycle: mechanical or chemical reformulation of materials.
Reduce Waste at the Source Recycling is not enough!
4 steps in conscious consumption1. Reduce Waste at the source
1. Consider whether it’s a need or a want. Buy less
2. Buy recycled & recyclable goods2. Reuse 3. Recycle as necessary4. Compost food and yard waste
For more info on the link between material consumption, recovery, landfilling, and
waste, visit:www.deq.state.or.us/lq/sw/globalwarming.htm
The Resource Innovation Groupwww.theresourceinnovationgroup.org