How much consumption? - Democratic Underground

Ignoramus

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Tue Feb-22-05 12:36 AM
Original message

How much consumption?

Do you know of a general study on what level of consumption is sustainable, for a person, a society or the world?

For example, I suspect that it's irresponsible to buy a Hummer. Is it irresponsible to own a computer? Is it irresponsible to own a flush toilet? How much logging is sustainable. etc.

I wouldn't really expect to find precise figures, but ranges.

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bemildred

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Tue Feb-22-05 12:39 AM
Response to Original message

1. Look deeper.

When did life become all about how much crap you consume?
A better question would be what is the minimum amount of crap
you need to lead an interesting and fulfilling life?
Less is more.

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applegrove

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Tue Feb-22-05 12:51 AM
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2. Just try doing it all with less. And try to stick to it.

Edited on Tue Feb-22-05 12:52 AM by applegrove

Why I wake up at least once a month and say: I'm really going to have to stop doing.... (and then I'll forget)

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punpirate

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Tue Feb-22-05 01:09 AM
Response to Original message

3. Here are some hints:

http://www.tbf.org/indicators/environment/indicators.asp?id=1164&fID=218&fname=Sustainable%20Development

http://www.sustainablemeasures.com/Sustainability/index.html

http://www.iied.org/smg/pubs/making.html

Be sure to look at the references at the bottom of the last page. Some books there which may help.

Cheers.

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rman

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Tue Feb-22-05 04:54 AM
Response to Original message

4. according to peak-oil activists

it costs 10 calories of carbo-hydrates to bring 1 calorie of food on your plate. in the western world that is.
source: "The End of Suburbia" (www.endofsuburbia.com)

Imagine having to spend 10 apples worth of energy to find one apple to eat. It's not exactly sustainable and it can only last for as long as we can rob the world of its apples, thus quickly exhausting available resources, at the expense of the majority of the global population.

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One_Life_To_Give

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Tue Feb-22-05 11:30 AM
Response to Original message

5. With 1000Watts per square meter

The amount of energy which can be consumed on the planet is enormous. The question can onl be answered by placing additional constraints on what is used and how.

Can the planet (Earth) carry 6 billion people all driving Hummers? Of course not, but it could carry ten people driving Iowa Class Battleships.

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phantom power

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Tue Feb-22-05 01:16 PM
Response to Original message

6. There have been studies of ecological "footprint"

As in, how many acres of planet earth are required to sustain a given person's lifestyle, including stuff like production of potable water, processing of waste, food production, etc. If memory serves, an average American's footprint is something like 20-30 acres.

There was a related study that concluded we (humanity) are currently using about 1.2 earth-equivalents. So, we are not currently sustainable. I presume that as long as we are using <= 1.0 earth-equivalents, we are OK. Although I don't know if that accounts for the needs of all the *other* inhabitents of the planet.

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