According to The Business Dictionary, "Consumption is the process that substance is completely destroyed, used up, incorporated or transformed into something else. Goods and services is used up within a particular time period." Consumption can refer to the use of goods and services which may provide a measure of relative happiness or satisfaction . There appear to be many controversies related to the consumption or over consumption of the earth’s resources. These resources range from timber, water, wildlife, energy, and food.
One controversy in particular is that economists and environmentalists are concerned that in the future, the earth cannot handle the amount humans are consuming due to population and also the laissez faire attitude the wealthier states appear to have toward mother earth. In support of this thought, Anup Shah from his article Behind Consumption and Consumerism wrote, “Globally, the 20% of the world’s people in the highest-income countries account for 86% of total private consumption expenditures — the poorest 20% a minuscule 1.3% .” Since consumption is part of an expenditure that comes out of net worth or from borrowed funds, a worldwide bottom line is determined by using the consumption function.
A British economist by the name of John Maynard Keynes developed the consumption function, which is a mathematical function used to express consumer spending and calculates the amount of total consumption in an economy. “The consumption function is C = a + mpcY, where C = total consumption, a = autonomous consumption, mpc = the marginal propensity to consume, and Y = disposable income (income after taxes and transfer payments). The second term (mpcY) is induced consumption .” Keynes was a modern innovator for politics and economy, because he was an economist best known for placing practical political ideas, and he used these ideas to influence policy.
Frequently there are organizations and companies that manage to calculate the percentages of global consumption for fear humans are depleting the earth of its natural resources. For instance, BBC News reported that the World Wildlife Fund ("WWF"), in its biannual report stated that “The Living Planet Report wrote that the natural world is being degraded at a rate unprecedented in human history, and WWF warned that if demand continued at the current rate, two planets would be needed to meet global demand by 2050 .”
Within this report the planet’s resources are being overused by 25% and the U.S. utilizes four times the amount of resources per capita than South Africa. These statistics may be factual and the U.S. may in truth be using more resources; however, the U.S. does have a much larger population and contributes its goods and services worldwide to benefit everyone. The U.S. shares its scientific findings with most other states, making it a leader in newfound technology. How does this apply to human consumption? The U.S. has a right to consume as others do, although as a world power it has more of a responsibility to make sure no harm is being done to terrestrials or its organisms.
There is much to be said for taking responsibility of not ruining the earth and its resources. On a positive note, the world has seen improvements in both replenishment of timber and major improvements in efficiency. For example, the WorldWatch Institute conducted a study in 2004, which stated “Modern industrial workers now produce in a week what took their 18th century counterparts four years. In the U.S. only about 12 hours of work per week were needed in 2000 to produce as much as 40 hours did in 1950.
In the semiconductor industry, production efficiencies helped drive the cost per megabit of computing power from roughly $20,000 in 1970 to about 2 cents in 2001 .” Environmentalists would most likely state that this is not enough; flora and fauna are rapidly decreasing, there is the issue of global warming (if it does truly exist,) and there are species of organisms dying at a rapid rate. The sine qua non is that human beings individually are responsible for making sure they are doing their part in safeguarding the earth.
This may be an unrealistic idea for states where people are fighting for their lives or walking miles for a sip of water; however, the states where one could use a fluorescent light instead of a high energy light bulb or recycling aluminum, plastic and paper can make a difference. Moreover, if one has a choice to purchase a vehicle, the logical choice would be to purchase a vehicle that is easier on the earth’s resources. A responsible choice would be the purchase of a vehicle that is part electric and consumes less gasoline instead of purchasing an SUV, which guzzles 33% more gas than the average vehicle on the road.
If one believes in Biblical Scripture the Book of Revelation 11: 18, states that there is an appointed time, wherein God will bring to ruin those ruining the earth. Although this is a spiritual reasoning there is also a moral and cultural decision to be made when it comes to regarding the earth as a collection of resources instead of a home. The reality is that the earth’s resources are available to “Provide everyone the opportunity for a decent life.”
Instead of placing timber, water, wildlife, energy, and food into the international political arena it is in the best interest of humankind to share all resources and preserve the earth. Earth preservation is the responsibility of every individual living on earth, the earth is mankind’s home and it was a gift bestowed upon him. When it comes to earth’s resources this is what one should think about regardless if one does not have the power to change the international political scene.
, do not use without permission.