Dear All,

In 1996, The Australian Commonwealth Government held a series of
environmental economics seminars. At one of these, "Consumption and the
Environment", Dr Stephen Boyden, of the ANU Centre for Resource and
Environmental Studies, delivered a talk on "The need to change our
consumption habits."

He cited three impediments to change: Consumption Addiction; Vested
Interests; and The Dominant Culture.

In conclusion, he said:

"To illustrate the degree of change that will be necessary in the cultural
system, I will conclude with a piece of fanciful and optimistic speculation
about the political scene at some time in the future. I suggest that an
Australian Government in, say, twenty years, might, in seeking re-election,
proudly point out that during its term of office there had been:

a) a marked improvement in health in all sections of community, associated
with a progressive shift towards social equity; and

b) a big drop in fossil fuel use, industrial production, retail consumption
and waste production.

 Ecologically, and in terms of human well-being, both these trends would
make very good sense."     

To what extent is he right? 

In terms of the "consumption addiction", is is it morally right (and/or
practical) to try to reduce individual consumption, given that such a move
may induce "widespread feelings of deprivation and discontent, with adverse
consequences for health and well-being" (Boyden 1996)?   

What about the impacts on employment levels of consumption reduction? How
might we "humanely" assert controls for ecological sustainability over
consumption levels?

On a global scale, how might we avoid introducing western consumerism into
developing countries? Should we even try? Or is this a case of
"neo-colonialism?"   

---------------------------------------------------------
Corey Watts
PGDipSc Student 
Centre for Conservation Biology
University of Queensland
St Lucia, Qld, AUSTRALIA 4068

e-mail:	[log in to unmask]
Telephone:  	+61 7 3365 2475
Facsimile: 	+61 7 3365 1655

"Wings and feathers on the crying, mysterious Ages...
...all that is right, all that is good."
D.H. Lawrence, "The Wild Common."




%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%