Great story on Marketplace on NPR tonight: it looked at how much capacity the world would need if everyone consumed as much as does the average American. It turns out that it is equivalent of six Earths. Count 'em, six.
It's part of a special report, Consumed, that examines whether current consumption patterns are sustainable. (D'oh, they're not). This story was followed by another on "overshoot" -- the consumption of natural resources faster than they can be reproduced. It was equally frightening: right now we are overshooting on trees, fish, and fossil fuels by 30%.
In the interview, UCLA geography professor Jared Diamond predicts that a first world lifestyle will not be possible anywhere on Earth in 30 - 50 years unless things change.
This is a clarion call for a conversion of traditional grow-at-any-cost capitalism to social enterprise. Unless we trade our short term focus on quarterly earnings for a longer view that values sustainabilty and social responsibility, we are going to grow ourselves into oblivion.
The current system provided a materially great life for many people (especially the few at the top) but it is like having a diet of all candy and ice cream -- eventually you get sick and the body stops functioning. We have to acknoledge that we are part of a larger ecosystem and are, in part, responsible for its survival if we are to survive ourselves.
What do you think? Can we reverse our patterns of overconsumption?
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