Worldwide consumer cultures need overhaul

Without an intentional cultural shift that values sustainability over consumerism, no government pledges or technological advances will be enough to rescue humanity from unacceptably hazardous environmental and climate risks, concludes the Worldwatch Institute in the latest edition of its flagship annual report, State of the World 2010.

The book, subtitled Transforming Cultures: From Consumerism to Sustainability, defines “consumerism” as a cultural orientation that leads people to find meaning, contentment, and acceptance primarily through what they consume.

“We’ve seen some encouraging efforts to combat the world’s climate crisis in the past few years,” says project director Erik Assadourian. “But making policy and technology changes while keeping cultures centered on consumerism and growth can only go so far. To thrive long into the future, human societies will need to shift their cultures so that sustainability becomes the norm and excessive consumption†becomes taboo.”

In 2006, people consumed $30.5trillion worth of goods and services, up 28% from just 10 years earlier. This rise in consumption has resulted in a dramatic increase in resource extraction; the world digs up the equivalent of 112 Empire State Buildings worth of materials each day, with the typical American consuming an average of 88 kilograms (194 pounds) of stuff daily—more than most Americans weigh. If the whole world lived like this, Earth could sustain only 1.4 billion people, or just a fifth of the current population, the report notes.

“Cultural patterns are the root cause of an unprecedented convergence of ecological and social problems, including a changing climate, an obesity epidemic, a major decline in biodiversity, loss of agricultural land, and production of hazardous waste,” says Assadourian.

The report’s 60 authors present strategies for reorienting cultures that range from “choice editing”—deliberately striking options from consumer menus—to harnessing the power of religious groups and rituals to internalise sustainability values.

In 26 articles and 23 short text boxes, the report details dozens of innovative efforts that are tapping these key institutions, from changing business cultures and starting social enterprises to cultivating social marketing efforts, shifting family-planning norms, and tapping the power of primary schools, universities, and even school menus.

“As the world struggles to recover from the most serious global economic crisis since the Great Depression, we have an unprecedented opportunity to turn away from consumerism,” says Worldwatch President Christopher Flavin. “In the end, the human instinct for survival must triumph over the urge to consume at any cost.”

State of the World 2010 contains some astonishing facts, for instance:

1. The world’s richest 500m people (roughly 7% of the world’s population) are responsible for 50% of the world’s carbon dioxide emissions, while the poorest 3 billion are responsible for just 6%.
   
   
2. Business-as-usual is projected to lead to a 4.5degreeC increase by 2100. Even if all countries stuck to their most ambitious proposals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, temperatures would still go up by 3.5 degrees Celsius.
   
   
3. To produce enough energy over the next 25 years to replace most of what is supplied by fossil fuels, the world would need to build 200sq m of solar photovoltaic panels and 100sq m of solar thermal every second, and 24 3-megawatt wind turbines every hour nonstop during this period.
   
   
4. A study of British children found that they could identify more PokÈmon characters than common wildlife species. And an investigation of US two-year olds found that although they could not identify the letter M, many could identify the M-shaped golden arches of McDonald’s restaurants.
   
   
5. Several of the world’s longest-lived peoples eat just 1,800–1,900 calories a day, no processed foods, and minimal animal products. By comparison, the average American consumes 3,830 calories a day.