Overconsumption in Australia and Its Effects - Essay Example

OVERCONSUMPTION IN AUSTRALIA AND ITS EFFECTS Name Institution Course Date OVERCONSUMPTION IN AUSTRALIA AND ITS EFFECTS An extremely unpleasant and selfish problem What is the Sustainability issue? Overconsumption is currently becoming an increasing sustainability issue of environmental concern in Australia. All over Australia, there is increased demand for consumer goods and basic commodities due to improved living standards. The primary cause of overconsumption is overpopulation and increased living standards. The Australian population is currently estimated to be approximately 23,581,000 people with a growth rate of 1.8%. The high population growth puts a lot of pressure on the available resources such as land, water and energy (Crawford, 2010). Australia is among the developed countries in the world and experiences 'luxury fever' more than other countries all over the world. The wealthier population spends most of their money on luxury appliances and, therefore, puts a lot of pressure on the raw materials and more energy usage to meet their demand. The wealthier society in Australia has scaled up their needs and what used to be basic needs before now includes personal computers, luxury cars and homes and more space for parking. Australian population growth, quarterly http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/mf/3101.0 The increasing population comes along with the issue of space requirement for settlement of the population. More land is required to build households, therefore, results in the clearance of natural vegetation to create space for housing developments. In the 1950's an average house floor required 115 square metres (Myers, 2014). Today in Australia, many real estate and houses incorporate three-car garages and swimming pools, which require an additional space of about 300 square metres. Furthermore, about 40% of the Australian land has been cleared for agricultural purposes in the past five decades to meet the ever-increasing demand for food. More clearance of natural vegetation for housing developments, agriculture or extraction of raw materials results in habitat destruction and further causes the decline and extinction of the native species in Australia (Crawford, 2010). How complicated is the problem? This is a problem considered to be 'very unpleasant and selfish' due to the complexity of the issue that makes it resistant to resolve. Obviously, there are no simple strategies that can be implemented to solve the problem of overconsumption but a systematic approach from a political, environmental, social and economic perspective can be applied to seek resolution (Hamilton, 2012). The dynamics and complexity of the problem involve several factors that require well thought and innovative mechanisms to mitigate. Overconsumption is broad and involves over-exploitation of consumer goods which directly have detrimental impacts on the natural resources. Most consumer goods and luxury products are manufactured from natural raw materials extracted by mining (Hamilton, 2012). Certainly, we are not able to survive without consumption of these goods. Our health depends on the consumption of food and medicine which means more land has to be cleared to produce food to feed the ever-growing population. How can we stop consuming food when our health depends on it? How can we stop building houses when the population is ever-increasing and need shelters (Leonard, 2011). Furthermore, the economy depends on the consumers. The manufactured products must get a ready market to increase the wealth of our economy. Besides, there has been a scaling desire by the wealthier population in Australia for luxury styles and prestige brands of goods such as clothes, cars and house appliances due to scaling lifestyle expectations. Most individuals spend their money on the products without minding the origin and the implications it has after used. The major complex issue of overconsumption is a waste. The outbreak of luxury fever in Australia has resulted in products increase in complexity and size thereby contaminating the environment (Hamilton, 2012). This is the reason overconsumption an extremely unpleasant and selfish problem. The problem is even more complicated because trying to stop consumption of manufactured products will bring the economy to a standstill. On the other hand, overconsumption provides a ready market for the products but releases a lot of waste to the environment causing considerable pollution. We cannot stop altogether the consumption of goods and outputs since the economy is dependent on it. Therefore, we need a sustainable approach that will achieve maximal consumption without harming the environment on which future generations will depend on (Hamilton, 2012). The Stakeholders and the effects of overconsumption The impact of overconsumption in Australia will influence several stakeholders. Some primary stakeholders that are affected by land clearing include: 1. The consumers/the population 2. The government 3. The ecosystem, flora and fauna 4. The manufacturing industry 5. Local businesses 6. The mining industry 7. The agricultural sector 8. The energy sector Also to the primary stakeholders, overconsumption also has many secondary influences on; the broader community, Australian tourism, job availability, human health, climate change, water quality and biodiversity at large. Consumer debt Most of the time overconsumption is financed by borrowing since individuals thrive to live beyond their means. Australia has experienced a dramatic increase in consumer debt in the past two decades. Currently, Australians borrow ten times more money for housing than before. Therefore, the mortgage ratio debt to the average income of households has increased from 32% to 95% within the past 15 years (Myers, 2014). A large Australian population finances their spending on consumer products using credit card debt that is currently more than $21 billion. The amount has doubled from what it was in 2012 causing the extraordinary increase in credit card debts in Australia. Personal bankruptcies This is the consequence of high consumer debt in Australia. Today, more Australians are filing for personal bankruptcy cases than before, 80% that are consumers rather than corporate or business related. The high levels of personal bankruptcies are due to the decline in savings. In the 1950's Australians were able to save to acquire a home or for holidays but today, the population would rather borrow and satisfy their quick needs than wait (Ibid). https://www.google.com/search?q=australian+consumer+debts+images&biw=1024&b Overworking versus family time Overconsumption is financed by higher incomes resulting from overworking to satisfy ambitious lifestyle goals. Today Australians work longer hours than workers in any other country (Campbell, 2002) which has ended the tradition of a healthy balance between home life and work. Average working hours per week by full-time employees has increased by 10% from 38.2 in the 1980s to around 41.9 hours currently. Furthermore, most workers work for extended hours of more than 40 hours per week (Leonard, 2011). Consequently, the more hours spent away from home results into family problems due to lack of bonding time. Most spouses today in Australia experiences extremely high levels of stress, depression anxiety putting marriages under stress. Children whose parents are always away due to commitments are also affected (Ibid). Waste The most detrimental effect of overconsumption to the environment is the production of large quantity and quality of wastes. Luxury and overuse of goods comes with increased generation of waste that most of the time lack proper disposal. https://www.google.com/search?q=images+of+overconsumption+in+Australia&biw=1 Australians today, dispose of about 1.1 tonnes of solid waste yearly per person. Landfills for the disposal of the waste is increasingly becoming expensive since the available metropolitan land is scarce. About 40% of solid waste in Australia, today is from household wastes and demolition and construction activities due high demand for luxurious homes (Leonard, 2011). Increased greenhouse gas emission Greenhouse gas emissions in Australia has increased rapidly as the wealthier population build, cold and heated ever bigger houses. Most of the houses are filled with larger electrical equipment leading to more demand for energy. 86% of the Australian energy heavily relies on coal burning to produce electricity. Furthermore, there has been an increased acquisition of vehicles that are heated and powered using diesel (Myers, 2014). The manufacturing sector of Australia is the largest user of gas and electricity (27 per cent) with household consumption closely behind at 25% of all energy in Australia. The high-energy requirement in the manufacturing industry is attributed to the fact that more people demand luxurious products and goods. Transport consumes about 15 percent while mining also contributes towards 13 per cent consumption. High burning of fossil fuels, therefore, results into an increased in the emission of Greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. An increase in greenhouse gas emission in turn increases the effects of global warming (Myers, 2014). http://www.landlearnnsw.org.au/sustainability/climate-change/what-is-it/greenhouse-gas-aust-nsw Overexploitation of natural resources The ever-growing demand for consumer goods results in an ever-increasing pressure on natural resources both as a sink for greenhouse gases through carbon sequestration and wastes and a source of raw materials. The overexploitation of natural resources causes the erosion of the natural environment which in turn reduces the quality of life for all species. Luxury fever is destroying most of Australia's heritage especially along the coasts as more wealthy people in search for better and bigger lifestyles demand roads to travel, land to build on and new sewerage and water supply systems (Myers, 2014). Natural water sources are shrinking due to increased demand for water per person. The ever-increasing population requires more water than ever before. Furthermore, wealthier individuals are victims of overexploitation of water resources since they demand luxurious swimming pools and monuments that require large volumes of water (Prugh, 2014). Overexploitation of natural resources through mining, clearance of vegetation and extraction of minerals also results in the destruction of the suitable habitats of several native species in Australia. Removal of natural vegetation, which provides a natural habitat for most rare and endangered species, is considered is considered the primary driver of species decline in Australia. It causes habitat fragmentation and drastically alters ecosystems (Myers, 2014). http://www.theguardian.com/global-development-professionals-network/gallery/2015/apr/01/over-population-over-consumption-in-pictures Legislative and governance framework for sustainability Legislation and proper management are essential in pushing for a long-term and ecologically sustainable future in Australia. The primary causes of overconsumption in Australia are high living standards and overpopulation. Therefore, the government should focus legislation towards achieving an ecologically sustainable population. One such step involves removal of the 'Baby bonus' law. The law encourages and supports population growth. Australian Bureau of Statistics estimates that brings additional 50,000 live births every year that accounts for an additional 20 per cent increase per annum (Prugh, 2014). The government of Australia must highlight the ethical value of a decline in fertility. Threatened and endangered species in Australia are becoming extinct while the population of Australi is growing at a rate of 1.8 per cent per annum. In fact, a decline in fertility is required to solve overconsumption and reduce pressure on natural resources for other species to recover their populations (Prugh, 2014). The government of Australia should increase funding for Family Planning and initiate more education programs specifically for women and the minority. The government of Australia must end subsidies to fossil fuel industries that promote increase fossil fuel use and waste of resources. The Australian parliament must also pass legislations to change the Fringe benefits tax to discourage wasteful driving (Leonard, 2011). Systems approach to addressing overconsumption Australia has the highest per capita impact than any other national community in the world. An ecologically sustainable consumption approach is therefore required and implemented to reduce consumerism and per capita impact of the Australian population (Prugh, 2014). The following systemic approach can be applied: The development of programs and initiatives for reducing consumerism in Australia through: replacement of private consumption with public use, development of a sustainable supply chain management in all manufacturing industries in Australia which employ effectively and efficiently the 3R's (Recycle, Recover and Reuse) and All the excessive and wasteful consumption mechanisms that affect well-being of all forms of lives must be discouraged. The Australian government should adopt the idea of Steady State Economy and approve the concept of Environmental accounting through initiatives such as Green GNP. The establishment of Ecological Sustainability Commission to produce sustainable reports and indicators to the Parliament of Australia annually, on the progress towards achieving sustainable population levels. The Commission should present report regularly on per capita consumption, ecological footprint and Australia's population trends All the stakeholders involved in the overconsumption issuemust work together to help the Australian government achieve the ultimate goal of an ecologically sustainable society. Environmental conservation and supply chain management strategies must be implemented in all corporate and business entities to help reduce wasteful exploitation of resources. Overconsumption is a global threat and, therefore, the international community must work closely with the Australian government to achieve an ecologically sustainable future. References Crawford, R., Smart, J., &Humphery, K. (2010).Consumer Australia: Historical perspectives.Newcastle: Cambridge Scholars. Geus, M. . (2013). The end of over-consumption: Towards a lifestyle of moderation and self-restraint.Utrecht: International Books. Hamilton, C., & Australia Institute. (2012). Overconsumption in Australia: The rise of the middle-class battler. Canberra: Australia Institute. Myers, N., & Kent, J. (2014).The new consumers: The influence of affluence on the environment. Washington, D.C: Island Press. Leonard, A., & Conrad, A. (2011).The story of stuff: The impact of overconsumption on the planet, our communities, and our health--and how we can make it better. New York: Free Press. Prugh, T., Renner, M., Mastny, L., &Worldwatch Institute. (2014). State of the world 2014: Governing for sustainability. Read More

Furthermore, the economy depends on the consumers. The manufactured products must get a ready market to increase the wealth of our economy. Besides, there has been a scaling desire by the wealthier population in Australia for luxury styles and prestige brands of goods such as clothes, cars and house appliances due to scaling lifestyle expectations. Most individuals spend their money on the products without minding the origin and the implications it has after used. The major complex issue of overconsumption is a waste.

The outbreak of luxury fever in Australia has resulted in products increase in complexity and size thereby contaminating the environment (Hamilton, 2012). This is the reason overconsumption an extremely unpleasant and selfish problem. The problem is even more complicated because trying to stop consumption of manufactured products will bring the economy to a standstill. On the other hand, overconsumption provides a ready market for the products but releases a lot of waste to the environment causing considerable pollution.

We cannot stop altogether the consumption of goods and outputs since the economy is dependent on it. Therefore, we need a sustainable approach that will achieve maximal consumption without harming the environment on which future generations will depend on (Hamilton, 2012). The Stakeholders and the effects of overconsumption The impact of overconsumption in Australia will influence several stakeholders. Some primary stakeholders that are affected by land clearing include: 1. The consumers/the population 2.

The government 3. The ecosystem, flora and fauna 4. The manufacturing industry 5. Local businesses 6. The mining industry 7. The agricultural sector 8. The energy sector Also to the primary stakeholders, overconsumption also has many secondary influences on; the broader community, Australian tourism, job availability, human health, climate change, water quality and biodiversity at large. Consumer debt Most of the time overconsumption is financed by borrowing since individuals thrive to live beyond their means.

Australia has experienced a dramatic increase in consumer debt in the past two decades. Currently, Australians borrow ten times more money for housing than before. Therefore, the mortgage ratio debt to the average income of households has increased from 32% to 95% within the past 15 years (Myers, 2014). A large Australian population finances their spending on consumer products using credit card debt that is currently more than $21 billion. The amount has doubled from what it was in 2012 causing the extraordinary increase in credit card debts in Australia.

Personal bankruptcies This is the consequence of high consumer debt in Australia. Today, more Australians are filing for personal bankruptcy cases than before, 80% that are consumers rather than corporate or business related. The high levels of personal bankruptcies are due to the decline in savings. In the 1950's Australians were able to save to acquire a home or for holidays but today, the population would rather borrow and satisfy their quick needs than wait (Ibid). https://www.google.com/search?

q=australian+consumer+debts+images&biw=1024&b Overworking versus family time Overconsumption is financed by higher incomes resulting from overworking to satisfy ambitious lifestyle goals. Today Australians work longer hours than workers in any other country (Campbell, 2002) which has ended the tradition of a healthy balance between home life and work. Average working hours per week by full-time employees has increased by 10% from 38.2 in the 1980s to around 41.9 hours currently. Furthermore, most workers work for extended hours of more than 40 hours per week (Leonard, 2011).

Consequently, the more hours spent away from home results into family problems due to lack of bonding time. Most spouses today in Australia experiences extremely high levels of stress, depression anxiety putting marriages under stress. Children whose parents are always away due to commitments are also affected (Ibid).

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