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