A Culture of Conspicuous Consumption

For your initial blog posts, I'd like you to consider one or both of the following questions:1. What, in your mind, is the most pressing challenge facing the global environment? Why?2. Have a look at this piece that Stanley Fish wrote over the summer. Does it ring true for anyone? What does it mean to live in an "environmentally friendly" way in the modern-day US?
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In my limited knowledge of the challenges facing the global environment I believe that one of the most pressing is the culture and society in which we live. The American culture is spend now, save later. The savings rate in the United States is one of the lowest in the world with people taking out loans in order to live in a bigger house or drive a bigger or nicer car. In our society it is all about the things that you own, the car that you drive, the clothing brands that you wear. If America is going to save the planet, our whole culture would have to shift to a more ecologically friendly way of life that is less dependent on conspicuous consumption.

Stanley Fish's article rings true for many people. For a time, I, myself, thought that recycling and trying to live in an environmentally friendly way was a waste in the US. I could not see why I should help the environment when no one else did. Everyone else always throws everything away instead of recycling or consuming less. I do not know many people from my home town who recycle on a consistent basis. We were one of the few families and it seemed like it was more effort than it was worth. But at AU there are many people who recycle and really make an effort to help the environment. As a community recycling is more successful because everyone can reinforce the committment.

Living environmentally friendly in the United States can be extremely difficult. I have a hard time trying and sometimes I don't want to. To live environmentally friendly one must at first be aware of how their lifestyle impacts the environment. Once they can understand how their life and their choices affect the environment, steps can be taken to lower their environmental footprint. This can be starting as small as recycling and using creating less waste. If you have to have your coffee or tea everyday (as I do), don't use a paper cup. Use a cup that can be washed out and used again. Or try and walk to campus instead of driving up the street. This gives you some great exercise, a bit more money in your wallet as well as less pollution in the air. Every person can do at least something in order to help the environment. The idea is to start small and work your way up to the bigger environment-saving projects.