A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE IN OUR HANDS - To Parent Directory

Consumption & productionDidyou know…In the 1960 an averageEuropean grocery had2,000 product lines.A modern supermarkethas more than15,000.Our consumption in the EU falls into four major categories: foodand drink; housing; personal travel and mobility and tourism.The negative effects of European production and consumptioncan be felt in other parts of the world. According tothe European Environment Agency, we are increasinglyusing resources from abroad for consumption in Europe,putting pressure on the environment in other regions ofthe world.Situation on the groundThe way we consume in modern society squanders resources andoften makes us spend large amounts on unsustainable products thatare less than beneficial to us and society at large. We need to createsustainable consumption which takes into account both economicefficiency and the greater social and environmental good.Buying things has become a cultural habit and shopping, in some EUcountries, is now a top leisure activity. Advertisements encouragechildren to spend their pocket money or influence their parents -UNESCO reports that revenues from advertising aimed at childrenhave reached up to €1bn a year, in the EU alone.How we make and buy things has to change.By 2050, with current trends, the global energy demand coulddouble as populations rise and developing countries expand theireconomies, we urgently need to develop products and servicesthat use fewer resources, to prevent needless waste of resourcesand to consume more responsibly.These are objectives that will take considerable effort to achieve.This is a common task for all: international organisations, publicauthorities, producers, retailers, consumers and people educatingour children and the public.© Corbis030