Consumption & Voluntary Simplicity

1. Consumption & Voluntary Simplicity Source: elephantjournal.com

2. All of our “stuff” makes an impact

3. Emissions are produced…

4. 55% emissions related to consumption

5. 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.

7. Greenhouse Gas Sourcesand SinksAssociated with the Material Life Cycle

8. 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?

9. Using some stuff causes emissions • Are emissions created when this is used? • Does it require a power source? • Electronics

10. 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?

11. Waste produces emissions • Landfills produce methane • Harms wildlife • Requires space

12. 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)

13. Results – Energy (by process) Total Solid Waste Disposed, Recovered & GeneratedPounds Per Person Per Day 1992 - 2005 8 8.4 7.5 3.8 3.5 8.0 7 7.7 7.5 6.5 7.2 7.2 6 6.6 3.3 6.1 2.8 3.2 2.7 5.5 5.7 2.3 5 2.0 4.5 1.5 1.5 4 Pounds Per Person Per Day 3.5 3 4.6 4.5 2.5 4.5 4.4 4.3 4.3 4.3 4.2 4.1 2 1.5 1 0.5 0 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2003 2004 2005 Key = Recovered = Disposed 0.0 = Generated Recovery + Disposal = Generation Recycling is Up in Oregon, But So is Waste Generation 45

14. 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

15. 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

16. LANDFILL 95% of total energy used and pollution generated comes before can is even created!

17. 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.

18. Most landfill content shouldn’t be there

19. So What’s The Problem? • Resource & Environmental Issues • Personal Debt + • Stress + • Happiness In Question • Impacts On Quality of Life • Throw away Culture – Use It Once Mentality • Corporations Using Planned Obsolescence Model • Economy Tied To Growth Model • Having ‘Stuff’ Can Be Equated With ‘Status’ • Media Promotes Consumption Model • Policies Encourage Growth & Consumption

20. Consumption and Waste:Ethics 35 times more resources for him …than him

21. Options for Change

22. Close the loop!

23. 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?

24. 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?

25. 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?

26. 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

27. Activities

28. 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 Content • Buy It Used • Repair Stuff • Re-gift • Buy Durable Goods CLOSE THE LOOP

29. 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?

30. Reduce Waste at the Source Recycling is not enough! • ► 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.

31. 4 steps in conscious consumption • Reduce Waste at the source • Consider whether it’s a need or a want. Buy less • Buy recycled & recyclable goods • Reuse • Recycle as necessary • Compost food and yard waste

32. 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 Group www.theresourceinnovationgroup.org