“To live more simply, that others may simply live.” – Jonathon Porritt
In modern society, overconsumption and wastage of resources seem to be a norm. We buy more than what is necessary, use and waste more water and electricity than needed, and throw away more waste. We tend to change our material belongings constantly to suit the current fashion and trend, leaving behind a trail of “old-fashioned” waste. These “old” waste are thrown away although some could still be in good condition. Packaging waste are also becoming common as excessive packaging are used for products. In Paper or Plastic, Daniel Imhoff identifies consumerism and citizen apathy as one reason for increasing packaging waste. He says, “Accelerating high-speed lifestyles that value convenience, inexpensiveness, eating outside the home, and high levels of consumption undercut other important concerns, such as nutrition, environmental protection, and genuine sustainability”.
It is time to ask ourselves whether we should practise “sufficiency” in consumption. As Paul Ekins explained, “In a society devoted to ever-greater consumption, it is hard not to identify sufficiency with notions of sacrifice, of ‘doing without’ or ‘giving things up’. Such identifications are, however, misplaced. Certainly, sufficiency implies relatively modest consumption and simplicity in personal lifestyle. But these are not motivated by abstract aestheticism or self-denial, but arise from a perception that sufficiency in consumption permits a greater emphasis to be placed on other aspects of human experience, which are actually more personally rewarding and fulfilling than consumption.” We have to recognise that there are other things to pursue in life besides buying, consuming and discarding; things that are more important like relationships, health and happiness.
It takes individual responsibility to tackle the problem of overconsumption and wastage. You can start by practising the 3 Rs in your daily life – Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle (in order of sequence). The sequence is important, as source reduction is usually the best way to minimise wastage while recycling still has some impact on the environment and should be done last.
Reduce by not creating the wastage or minimising the waste in the beginning. Always remember the idea of sufficiency and ask yourself whether you need the item in the first place. Good practices could include printing on paper only when necessary, using non-disposable or durable products, and switching to electronic bill statements instead of receiving printed copies. In addition, we can reduce wastage of oil resources by driving less, switching to public transport or using more environmentally friendly cars. Ensuring that there are no leaking water pipes, using water-reducing nozzles, switching to energy-efficient light bulbs and appliances, and switching off lights when not in use can also reduce wastage of water and energy.
Reuse by using the waste several times or for another purpose. When the waste is already generated, try to find some ways to use it instead of throwing it away. This could include buying reusable materials, using used plastic and glass bottles as containers for storage, donating unwanted items and clothing to charity, using both sides of the paper or converting used containers into art ornaments.
Recycle by sending the waste to be processed as a resource. This could include depositing waste such as used paper, cans and bottles into recycling bins or selling them to used item traders so that the waste can be sent for recycling.
Always remember to reduce or eliminate wastage in the beginning, and then reuse whatever waste that has been generated, and lastly recycle the waste that cannot be reused anymore. It would be good to keep in mind what Randy Hayes said, “Remember, waste is a construct that humanity invented at a time when industry lacked a deep understanding of ecological processes. There is no waste in nature.”
Image credit: Recycle sign by Petr Kratochvil
