The Consumer: Week 4

Sustainable consumption is consumption of products and resources at rates consistent with sustainable development. The concept was promoted by Principle 8 of the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development, which states that to achieve sustainable development and a higher quality of life for all people, states should reduce and eliminate unsustainable patterns of production and consumption. The concept of sustainable consumption also encompasses a concern for animal welfare, respecting the physical integrity of animals and avoiding cruelty.

An organization’s role in sustainable consumption arises from the products and services it offers, their life cycles and value chains, and the nature of the information it provides to consumers. Current rates of consumption are clearly unsustainable, contributing to environmental damage and resource depletion. Consumers play an important role in sustainable development by taking ethical, social, economic and environmental factors into account based on accurate information in making their choices and purchasing decisions.  [ISO 26000: 6.7.5.1]

• United Nations – 17 Goals to Transform our World. Goal 12: Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns
• Oslo Roundtable on Sustainable Production and Consumption: Defining sustainable consumption. Retrieved from: http://www.iisd.ca/consume/oslo004.html
• Is Meat Sustainable? (July/August 2004). Retrieved from:  http://www.worldwatch.org/node/549
• Eisler, M., et al. (2004). Agriculture: Steps to sustainable livestock Nature 507, 32–34 (06 March 2014) doi:10.1038/507032a

• Promoting sustainable consumption: Good practices in OECD countries. (2008). Retrieved from: http://www.oecd.org/greengrowth/40317373.pdf
• The Sustainable Consumption Institute. Available at: http://www.sci.manchester.ac.uk/

After reading the “Is meat sustainable?” and “Agriculture: Steps to sustainable livestock” articles, you have decided to address the Virginia State Legislature and make a proposal for sustainable livestock practices. What bill or regulation, if any, would you ask for the legislature to adopt, or would you prefer that the legislature not address the issue? Record a four minute presentation on Zoom arguing for your point of view.