Opinion: We need to consumer smarter, not less

The ARD documentary "Respectful Consumption, but Done Right!" examines consumption behavior in Germany, its impact on the environment and society, and shows ways to achieve more conscious consumerism and consumption.  It concludes that less consumption can, in fact, often mean more satisfaction and, indeed, a more sustainable future. Whether that is really true, journalist Greta Taubert wants to find out. 

She reports on own experiment, trying to completely abstain from consumption for a year. She talks about challenges such as gathering food and abstaining from buying, but also about positive encounters.  Her conclusion: Refusing to consume alone does not save the world and is very exhausting. The documentary concludes that less is often more and that conscious consumption should be pursued.

Perhaps these ideas can exist at the same time. Among other things, consumption triggers the happiness hormone dopamine, which is responsible for the rewarding feeling in our body.  It motivates us to seek out and repeat rewarding activities. However, the happiness is only short-lived and can, for example, lead to a consumption/purchase addiction. Often, it is quite difficult and time-consuming to forgive the act of consuming and to find sustainable alternatives. 

Little consumption can, among other things, be perceived as a restriction of freedom and quality of life, because everyone constantly wants to belong to society and, with maybe few exceptions, deviate.  Many also claim that it is merely a pleasant pastime that brings people together. This consumer mindset is mostly fueled by advertisements and the internet.  Because when your favorite celebrity introduces a certain product which doesn’t fulfill a need, you “absolutely have to have it,” even if it's quite expensive. Thus, one consumes without really paying attention to sustainability.  

Many young people have such an attitude because it is not important to them how the purchased product is made and under what conditions it was produced.  When you buy an inexpensive pair of pants from abroad, you often don't think about the manufacturing process.  Why should we think about it when the price is so enticing?  Often, the low prices attract attention, and many people do not think about the background of the production.  Often, it is the working conditions, environmental impacts, and the quality of materials that are not visible in the pricing.  

We should thus carefully consider whether to buy the inexpensive pants or the slightly more expensive ones which were sustainably produced. Perhaps one should rather forgo something that is not sustainably produced and invest in high-quality, environmentally friendly, and fairly produced alternatives that respect both the planet and people. Moreover, one must pay more attention to the environment, because sooner or later the Earth's resources will become scarce and no longer sufficient for everyone.  Important raw materials like oil and phosphorus are also becoming increasingly scarce, making them more and more expensive.  

In summary, it can be said that while we cannot live without consuming, we should still find the willpower to pay attention to more important things like the environment and personal health.