The Natural Democracy of Environmentalism

In Chapter 10 of Raj Patel’s The Value of Nothing, Patel discusses the difference between popular systems of democracy and the original system from Athens. While most modern systems rely on elections of influential candidates to carry out the population’s wishes, older systems relied on every citizen to take turns at making political decisions. The government was comprised of citizens intent on making decisions they believed would be most beneficial to the community.

 

As people began delegating political responsibilities to individuals as jobs, they became less attached to the actual political process. In Athens, any member of the community who did not participate in the political process was considered an “idiota”, while only 56% of eligible voters participated in 2008’s federal elections.

 

If environmental decisions are delegated in the same manner as political decisions, then the public will become apathetic to the cause. The world cannot afford to lose interest in creating a sustainable world in the same way that people have grown tired of becoming involved in ruling themselves. Instead of tossing aside responsibilities in order to focus more on oneself, we need to work as a community to tackle the issues of conservation and climate change.

 

-Mark

$Free.99$

“One man’s trash is another man’s treasure”, while to some this is just an obscure saying about the value of an object from one person to another in Steven Kurutz article “Not buying” people are actually living by this. In New York several people go dumpster for their necessities and are able to claim quite a bit of worth while items from dumpsters that people have thrown away and society has labeled as waste.  In this article a very different and interesting style of life is observed as several New Yorkers  have chosen to live their lives getting all they need out of the trash. These few people are known as freegans. Officially “freegans are scavengers of the developed world, living off consumer waste in an effort to minimize their support of corporations and their impact on the planet, and to distance themselves from what they see as out-of-control consumerism. They forage through supermarket trash and eat the slightly bruised produce or just-expired canned goods that are routinely thrown out, and negotiate gifts of surplus food from sympathetic stores and restaurants.” Although many seek fault in this way of living and find it socially acceptable what several don’t realize are the benefits. In a society where we are constantly looking for ways to reuse, remake and recycle an option as simple as this could be staring us right in the face. In an effort to sustain our existence as mankind in a better is it possible that freeganism could be a potential answer, or is looking in our dumpsters for what we use to drastic of an idea?

Buddhist Economics and Sustainability

“Buddhist Economics” by Schumacher, E.F is a thought provoking book as it tries to capture the views on fundamentals, by the modern economist and by Buddhist economists.

"Buddhist Economics"

 

Modern Economist is mainly interested in goods and consumption and considers consumption as the sole end and purpose of all economic activity. Labor is simply an item of cost, to be reduced to a minimum if not eliminated completely by automation.

 

The Buddhist point of view takes the function of work to be at least three fold : to give man a chance to utilize and develop his faculties; to enable him to over come his ego-centeredness b joining with other people in a common task; and to bring forth the goods and services needed for their existence.

 

The modern economist is used to measuring the standard of living by the amount of annual consumption, assuming that the man who consumes more is better off than the man who consumes less.

 

While the modern Economist is mainly interested in goods and consumption, the Buddhist is interested in Liberation. Since consumption is merely a means to human well-being, the aim should be to obtain the maximum of well-being with the minimum of consumption.

 

Modern economics does not distinguish between renewable and non-renewable materials, as its very method is to equalize and quantify everything by means of a money price. Thus, taking various alternative fuels, like coal, oil, wood, or water-power: the only difference between them recognized by modern economics is relative cost per equivalent unit. The cheapest is automatically the one to be preferred, as to do otherwise would be irrational and “uneconomic”.

Conservation in Business Practices

 

From the point of view of Buddhist economics, the essential difference between non renewable fuels like coal and oil on the one hand and renewable fuels like wood and water-power on the other cannot be simply over looked. Non-renewable goods must be used only if they are indispensable, and then only with the greatest care and the most meticulous concern for conservation. To use them heedlessly or extravagantly is an act of violence, and while complete non-violence may not be attainable on this earth, it is the duty of man to aim at the ideal of non-violence in all he does.

 

Buddhist Economics gives greater importance and significance to the sustainability of natural resources and environment.

-Rahul

Creating Happiness

How can we create happiness?

Stephanie Rosenbloom explores the lives of people who have undergone “simplifications” of their life in “But Will it Make You Happy?”. While one couple donated or sold all of their extraneous possessions, another couple chose their house based on the availability of hiking trails instead of the house’s features. The idea of gaining happiness from the simple things in life dates back to the era of transcendentalism, as popularized by Therou’s Walden and Emerson’s essays.

Rosenbloom suggests consumers plan purchases in advance and turn large purchases into small daily treats. These suggestions help extend the excitement of a purchases and create daily events to look forward to.

It is in a similar manner that I suggest people approach creating a more sustainable lifestyle. Rarely will friends be able to carpool unless they plan in advance, and even more rarely does one past act of volunteering serve as a reminder to the issues of environmentalism than daily choices. Creating a sustainable lifestyle is not possible without planning ahead and committing to decisions.

Hopefully people will come to treat each small decision or future plan as their own method of gaining happiness. Intertwining consumer decisions with lifestyle decisions may simultaneously help the current population and future generations become happier.

-Mark

don’t judge based on the wrong things

“Clothes, cars, wristwatches living room furniture and lipstick are all well known purveyors of social position. This first sentence of Juliet Schor’s novel, “The Overspent American, The Visible Lifestyle,” explains in great detail the new rise in what individuals consider wealth these days and how certain things as oppose to more logical items are a better reflection of social class and wealth. Schor goes on to explain how these items and items similar to them are how we as a society are able to identify where a person sits in society. These items are described as “the visible”, these are the items in which individuals can be clearly judged. The reality is however that no matter how fancy one might appear to be is not an accurate representation of their wealth and or status. Things more accurate would be bank accounts, life insurance the items inside ones house and various items hidden from the normal view of people outside. Things like the amount of consumption while seen as a status symbol in no way relates to social status, anyone can max out a credit card but can anyone pay it off? In an essence it is not how one carries him or herself in the public view it is how a person sustains their existence. Focus should be emphasized more on the invisibles and whether or not one truly can hold the title they claim to have.

Economic Growth and Environmental Sustainability

Economic growth and environmental management are often seen to be at odds with each other. But that is not the full story. There is a serious attempt from businesses, more than ever before, to turn industry and other processes of growth environmentally sustainable.

There is a conscious attempt from businesses world over, more than ever before, to synergize industry with the natural habitat. Corporate diligence now extends to being conscientious about the environment, and many are going the extra mile beyond government policies. Reducing carbon footprints is a single-point agenda for businesses which are going out of their way for the same. Preservation of nature now reigns supreme on the minds of most corporations.

Some of the initiatives of the corporations have been to reduce harmful emission of toxic waste, effluents, bio-medical waste, harmful gas etc. in Air ,Water and Land.

Listed below are the steps that are being taken:

Initiative to reduce usage of non-renewable sources of energy like Coal, Petroleum.

Initiative to reduce wastage of (efficient usage of) natural resources

Contributing towards reduction in usage of water, energy and generation of solid waste.

Initiative for improving the ecosystem external to its regular business and not with the interest of earning profit.

-Rahul

 

Social Visibility and Sustainability

Juliet Shor in the third chapter of her book  “The Overspent American: The Visible Lifestyle”, talks about how consumer decisions in making purchases is being governed by their need to be socially visible.

It is widely believed that consumer goods provide an opportunity for people to express themselves, display their identities or create a public persona. The brand defines the consumer. We are what we wear, what we eat and what we drive. The collection of brands around us is the most direct expression of our individuality – or more precisely our deep psychological need to identify ourselves with others.

The need to identify with others – who we aspire to be or associated with – drives us in making our decisions on socially visible products like car, clothes, wrist watches, Cellular phones etc. Consumers are more willingly to spend higher sums of money for certain brands which are equated with higher status, though there may not be any material difference in the functional value compared to another brand with lower cost. However, consumers may not pay much attention when buying items like the curtains in the bedroom, appliances in the kitchen etc as these items are not socially visible. We have all seen computers with a sticker reading “Pentium Inside” or cars with stickers “4 wheel drive” etc. This is an attempt by manufacturers by spending huge sums of money for advertising; to create a distinct identity for their product / brand which otherwise is not visible.

 

 

In our desire to seek status, several of our actions may not be in accordance with sustainability of nature. Consumer may buy a fuel guzzling automobile to seek status – but it causes a huge drain on natural resources. Also consumers may constantly keep changing electronic goods to keep up with their peers – but these items cause huge environmental destruction as several of them cannot be recycled and are toxic waste.

 

 

We should capitalize on the consumer’s quest for social status by getting celebrity’s to campaign for environmentally sustainable products. We have seen success with organizations like PETA, WHO etc. where a celebrity endorses the cause and there is a lesson in it for all us who wish to work on nature sustainability.

-Rahul

Sustainability Advertising

Advertising Tactics

In an effort to raise sustainability awareness, there have been an increase in advertisements promoting sustainability and greener habits. Companies approach their ads differently, some use guilt tactics, some make you feel good, and this particular advertisement uses scare tactics. The video is effective because of the shock value of the people getting blown up for not wanting to go green.

While this emphasizes that going green is important for everyone, it also sends a very negative message. The people that are supporting greener habits say that it’s all right that people are not going green and that it’s their decision but then they are eliminating the people who would not change. It shows how serious the issue is to them, but it’s also making the people in favor for going green seem two-faced.

While this advertisement is very shocking, it will stick in people’s minds and it may even have an effect on their self-conscious. Seeing people get blown up is pretty extreme and graphic, even if it is meant to be a bit humorous. So in a way, having an advertisement this extreme may be just what they needed to get their message across. It sticks in people’s minds and gives them something to talk about and might raise awareness on how important it is to cut down energy costs in the long run.

-Tami

A Code of Signs

In Baudrillard’s Personalization or the Smallest Marginal Difference, small differences in products are marketed as status symbols, as exclusive “signs” of wealth and class. Baudrillard argues that it is through exchanging the differences in products consumers are actually communicating in a new language.

And what better way of exchanging differences than exclusive social networks devoted to the rich and successful? These social networks have been creating monopolies off of people who believe that successful people are all the same, so they will fit in if they join a crowd of like-minded people. The difference between a successful person and an unsuccessful person usually comes down to family background or education, but these new social networks lump the differences together as hard work and intelligence, which is rewarded by access to a new club.

Unfortunately, it is through a similar process that sustainability has not been embraced by modern businesses. The top corporations are global leaders in keeping their business practices private and controlling news about their methods. It is in part because of these leaders that smaller businesses do not share their own sustainability efforts: they wish to be a part of the “exclusive club” of major businesses, so they model their own practices after what they perceive to be the difference between successful and unsuccessful businesses.

In general, people would be more willing to live with more environmentally friendly habits if they were surrounded by support from companies. Promoting how a local business helps local customers save money in the long run and reduces emissions plants a seed in each consumer’s mind – which grows into the question of what the larger corporations are doing to “help” the world.

-Mark

Collaborative Branding and Sustainability

In “Brand We.” Rachel Botsman speaks about collaborative branding and the emerging trend of companies shifting their brand focus and advertising away from products and towards building collaborative communities.

Until recently, we, the consumers were hooked to the “me” brands like Apple, Nike, because they helped us create self-esteem and identity. Today we are feeding our social self that seeks connection and belonging and hence latching on to “we” brands based on relationships and participation.

Community driven brands talk to their users across various touch points – as if they are unique individuals. They talk with them and not to them. Customers are treated as members and given all traditional benefits of joining a club: status, identity, shared interests and ownership. Collaborative brands thrive when they have soul and rallying cry; they are built for meaningful community participation that serves an important purpose in consumer’s lives.

 

We have seen how successful some of the community driven brands like CRY (Child Relief and You), Help Age etc. These companies work for social causes like empowerment of the poor or helping the Old and disabled and are successful because members are passionate about the objectives of these organizations.

 

We as consumers can use collaborative branding to “advertise” companies which promote sustainability of nature and its resources. There are companies which promote technology that increases energy efficiency – which is the easiest, cheapest and quickest way of reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Similarly there are companies which generate power from alternate sources like wind etc. Together, we can promote these companies because we believe in environmental sustainability and pollution reduction.

 

-Rahul