All Areas of Focus » Greening of Industry »
Consumption and Green Consumers
| Consumption refers to the human use of materials and energy (natural resources). The main component of GDP, economists calculate consumption as an aggregate of all the goods and services purchased for the gratification of human desires. Sustainable economic experts look for ways to reuse or recycle materials after their intial use, in order to retain value. Unfortunately, this is not a large concern for traditional economists. Nor are issues of "externalities" (environmental and social impacts that are not included in the price/cost analysis). In general, citizens in developed countries are extravagant consumers and their use of resources is greatly out of proportion to their relative population size. |
 Photo source |
| Green consumers try to purchase products that have been processed with a strong sense of environmental and social accountability and responsibility. These processing techniques include: life-cycle analysis; avoiding harmful additives, toxins, and irradiation; high transparency in the manufacturing process; honest labeling; biodegradable packaging; fair treatment of employees; and high quality product assurance. | |
|
Related WiserEarth Portals
Ecolabeling and CertificationEcological Footprint Environmental Education Natural Capitalism Sustainable Communities Sustainable Living
Featured Resource
Whatever Happened to Green Consumers?
Featured Organizations
Co-op America Consumer Action CA Center for a New American Dream
|
|
|
Tags/Keywords
natural resource inputs, discard, packaging, consumerism, consumer power, consumer protection, resource waste, overconsumption, consumer education, green living, unsustainable consumption, environmental product choice, green products, environmental sustainability, ethical consumption, externalities, life-cycle analysis, greenwash, ecolabeling, certification, social accountability, quality assurance, green market, ecological footprint, environmental impact, industrial ecosystems, advertising, consumer fraud, additives, irradiation, social accountability, labor, socially conscious purchasing, industrial ecosystems, bioregional economies, local living economies, carbon footprint, carbon neutral
|
|
Discussion
Find or start a Discussion Forum and exchange ideas about Consumption |
Connections
Contributors to this Page
