Traveling through South America, from top to bottom, by bicycle and bus, has given me a surplus of time to think about and analyze the environmental issues we encounter.
An especially ubiquitous issue is consumption and even more obvious, it’s consequences.
The first few weeks riding through Ecuador I was struck by the amount of trash collected on the side of the road. Frequently there were partially burnt piles of bottles, diapers, and food wrappers. We quickly learned that in some communities, trash was disposed of in one of two ways, either it was burnt or it was deposited in the river. This continued through Peru, to an even greater extent, and is still a problem in Chile, a significantly wealthier country.
I started to realize that the problem was not just the trash, nor the unsatisfactory disposal system, but a problem in the mindset of the people consuming the goods, a problem that is not unique to Ecuador, South America, or the “developing world” in general. This mindset is an issue common to people all over the world and I believe that it is directly related to the desire to “increase ones standard of living” without considering the consequences of doing so.
According to an article in the New York Times titled, “What’s your consumption factor?” on average, a citizen of the United States consumes 32 times that of a citizen of a developing nation. It is in turn the goal of the average citizen of a developing nation to match the standard of living of someone in the developed world, which often translates directly to an effort to consume more goods, whether they be packaged food goods, fuel for a vehicle, gizmos or gadgets.
In thinking about what it means to develop, I am scared to imagine what will happen when the rest of the world catches up to the United States. In an effort to discuss solutions instead of problems, my questions are these:
A) How can people increase their standard of living without greatly increasing their consumption of goods?
B) How can we encourage and support developing nations in their efforts toward improving quality of life while also developing and utilizing technologies that are more sustainable?
C) How can we adjust the definition of “quality of life” and “standard of living” so that they are less centered on consumption?
Responses to questions--
ReplyDeleteA.) Renewable energy will keep the economy going without sacrificing standard of living. Solar and wind power are two such examples. Better health is a great way to increase living standards without increasing consumption. Another way is to improve education because education improves lives without consuming. Community gardens and getting to know your neighbors.