Consumption

Where do we draw the line? How much is too much? At what point do the things we surround ourselves go from necessity to frivolous? These are questions that seem to be floating around in my head a lot lately.  Although they might not be the direct topic for this class, or any other class for that matter, it is a side conversation that we seem to continuously touch on.  We fight for many things as environmental educators.  Currently I feel like a large focus on what we are discussing revolves around the justice of over-consumption.  Who is hurt by it? Do we have a right to the things that the exploitation provides? How do we make things equitable?

The trip to the RV factory helped bring this to light.  Do you support a industry that seems to support indulgent consumerism and consumption of resources?  Perhaps the easy answer is to say that it is not something we should condone, but how do you address the fact that it creates a livelihood for so many people within the community? 

Personally this has become something that daunts me.  How do I personally draw the line of what I should not allow myself to do because it is not a practice that is sustainable or good for the environment? I think I can say that through the eyes of an environmental educator a cruise is not something that I would deem worthy of doing ever again.  The food waste alone was enough to completely stress me out.  What about flying? It seems to be a topic that some here at Merry Lea would definitely say is not worth the consumption of oil. Driving home on the weekends to visit family?  Driving to Detroit for our integrative session? Owning a personal computer? A cell-phone? Driving to class?  At what point do you have to realize that we all will consume to some point and feeling guilty about it is not going to lead to a better world?

I’m torn between wanting to say that this contemplation is something that gives me hope and saying that it just irks me.  Is it a good thing that people, including myself, worry about how much we are consuming? Or is the fact that we’re creating stress within people over this issue just a negative manifestation of the problem.  Is guilting people into questioning their lives the healthiest way to create a vision of what our future should be? I for one am not sold.