Sustainable Consumption

Sustainable Consumption Sustainable Consumption is about finding solutions to imbalances ---social and environmental --through more responsible behavior from everyone

Most definition have the following common features:  Satisfying human needs;  Favoring a good quality of life through decent standards of living;  Sharing a resources between rich and poor;  Acting with concern for future generations;  Looking at the “cradle to grave” impact when consuming;  Minimizing resource use, waste and pollution

Switching to sustainable lifestyles • What exactly does sustainability mean to us as individuals? • What can we do to become more responsible? • What should we do first, save the environment or eradicate poverty? • What comes first, our health or of the Earth’s?

Putting priorities into perspectives • Basic education for all ($6 billion) versus cosmetics in the U.S. ($8 billion) • Water and sanitation for all ($9 billion) versus ice cream in Europe ($11 billion) • Basic health and nutrition ($13 billion) versus pet foods in Europe and USA ($17 billion) • Reproductive health for all women ($12 billion) versus perfumes in Europe and the USA ($12 billion)

Source: Human Development Report 1988 “Consumption for human development”

TAKE CARE Health is wealth, so as the old saying goes. People are increasingly opting for lifestyle that are more health-centered. Looking at your health should mean looking at the health of the planet too. Changes in lifestyle should benefit the planet as well as you.

Stepping stones Eat and drink and healthy as you can: more fresh food and fewer additives and less processed food.

Taking care is also closely related to products we regularly use to clean and maintain our houses and ourselves. Many contains chemical that add to already high pollution levels and are not biodegradable.

GETTING AROUND “It is transport that will make or break the sustainability of a city” Richard Rogers, Architect

Stepping stones Congestion, polluted, air noise… Our cities are becoming more and more uninhabitable. What can we do?

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Walk, cycle or roller-blade.

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Car share/car pool whenever you can.

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Hire

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Public transport

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Buy “Green” motor vehicle

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Drive carefully

GETTING AWAY “There are no passengers on spaceship earth. We are all crew.” Marshall Mcluhan, sociologist

Stepping stones 

Choose travel options which produce the greatest benefits for the host population

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Save precious natural resources

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Remove litter

 Plants should be left to flourish in their natural environment 

Support local trade and craft-people

REDUCE WASTE

In recent years there has been a dramatic increase in waste production. On average, every person living in a developed country throw away 1 kg of rubbish everyday.

WHAT IS ECO-DESIGN?

It is designing products using a “circular approach” which is known as “cradle-to-grave” – taking into account their entire lifecycle from creation from use to disposal.

The aims are to: 

Utilize materials, energy and other resources more efficiently

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Choose materials that don’t come from endangered ecosystems

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Design to prevent pollution and waste.

 Select recycled/recyclable materials and energy saving technologies 

Optimize a product’s life

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Keep it simple

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Improved transport logistics

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Avoid potential health risks and

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Respect human rights

Stepping stones There are simple ways to reduce the amount of waste we produce in our everyday lives. Remember the 5 R’s of recycling

1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

REFUSE RETURN REUSE REPAIR & RECYCLE

Save Water, Safe Water The human body is largely made up of water. Food crops won’t grow without it; in fact it is vital to the survival of all living organisms. You can do without food for about 1 month, but only 5-7 days without water.

What can we do to save water? 

Have a shower, not a bath. On average, a bath uses twice as much water as shower.

 when replacing toilets and washing machines, ask for models with low wateruse 

Don’t flush but throw away your sanitary towel, diapers etc.

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Never pour household chemicals

Purchase without Pain Sustainable Consumption is not just about environmental cost of the way we produce and consume; human and social costs must be considered too. Countless items that end up in the shops and in our homes are produced in developing world because multinationals find that labor is often much cheaper there. But the deal has to be fair to everyone involved. Sustainable Consumption has to uphold social justice and respect basic human, social and economic rights, which should be available to everyone and exclusive to no one.

Stepping stones You decide how to spend your money. Choose ecofriendly and more sustainable brands and send a strong message to supermarkets and retailers.

A few Pointers: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

Think before you buy Read the labels Select eco-labeled and ethical Buy locally produced and seasonal products Choose products containing significant percentages of recycled materials Buy direct

WHERE TO FIND US Special Concerns Office 2nd Floor, DENR, Visayas Avenue, QC 9268346 / 9276336 www.denr.gov.ph [email protected] [email protected]