consumption

The TV spot "Eco-tips for jeans" demonstrates in an explanatory but fun way that we can all participate in the fight against climate change by adopting good practices during the use phase of our jeans. The United Nations Environment Programme decided to raise awareness among young people with a video clip of 30 seconds which features a couple dancing Tecktonic - a famous new dance in France - in urban and familiar surroundings.

Review of a 2006 UCLA report on sustainability practices in the movie/TV production industry. This includes highlights from the report, such as set recycling for The Matrix 2 and 3, and a determination that the industry has a poor method for dealing with its significant contribution to greenhouse gases.

Sometimes it seems like modern America is one colossal plastic palace. Many plastics can be readily recycled, but how do consumers make sense of all the different types and rules?

So forecasters are predicting we will see gas at $4 per gallon this summer, and there's not much of a chance it will be slowing down. Now, instead of bitching and complaining about the price, what can we do to reduce our own costs out of pocket and how can public policy affect our future costs? We need to remember that in order to bring prices back DOWN we need to slow our CONSUMPTION. The more supply of crude oil there is, the lower the price will be. So let's get started.

9-5ers like Daylight Savings Time, but a recent study says the clock change actually results in higher home energy use, not less. It also results in more gas consumption (but fewer accidents). The business and health cases are mixed.

Daniel Burt is an eye doctor and his wife Amanda is a civil engineer living in Nashville. Their hobbies include living a lifestyle that makes a statement against rampant overconsumption and wastefulness in America. In other words, they dive in dumpsters to redeem things that have been thrown away.

An ongoing series about how to design a system to share goods that you probably shouldn't be buying -- clothes swaps, DVD and game rentals, freecycling and other networks. The more people share, the less they buy, so these systems let you reduce energy consumption and cut back on landfill use. Big self-promotion disclaimer -- I'm the author of this series!

From its extraction through sale, use and disposal, all the stuff in our lives affects communities at home and abroad, yet most of this is hidden from view. The Story of Stuff is a 20-minute, fast-paced, fact-filled look at the underside of our production and consumption patterns.

If you are looking to reduce your environmental footprint, one place to start might be looking at your TV. Technological advancement in consumer electronics has made us more in touch with happenings around the world but, increased our energy usage and taste for shopping while creating a looming environmental problem with landfills.

Believe it or not, all it takes is one simple sentence upon ordering: “And I won’t be needing the utensils and stuff, thank you.”

“A sad day, I suppose. However, this reminds me of the fundamental question that must be asked of all ‘green’ products: Are they necessary? That is, do we NEED lip balm or is it something we simply enjoy? If the latter, then there’s nothing truly sustainable about creating superfluous products.

While our green consumption may make us feel good, like we've done our little penance, the consumer culture is at the root of our climate and energy crises. This Guardian writer predicts that it will take governmental rationing, in the style of a war effort, to motivate the kinds of behavioral changes that are needed. She hopes for "... a low-consumption economy oriented towards facilitating the real sources of human fulfilment. Most of us dimly recognise that huge lifestyle changes are necessary, but we're waiting for someone else to initiate the process."

Every Christmas we see advert after advert pushing rubbish that will be lucky to see the next Christmas - and maybe that's what the reatailers are after. After Christmas we are left craving the real happiness that has long eluded us in our search for commercial Nirvana, and in its wake a planet that has fewer resources left for the following year.

We have already a huge phanomenon here in Germany. More and more people are renting stuff on a need basis rather than buying it. This means you don't need to own everything, you can rent it as soon as you need it.

People are constantly buying things, which they need only on very few occassions. In order to make most use of each items, you can share, lend or rent it out. It becomes even popular to rent out bikes in big cities, so tourists and visitors are able to bike within a city. People can earn a little bit of money and help others fulfilling their needs.

Finally some good news!  This study found that a staggering 8% (and yes that's HUGE in the green world) of families surveyed reported exclusively eating organic when they had the option.