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DR. TABASSUM ZAHIDI

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7.1 GETTING AND SPENDING
BUYING/GETTING NEW PRODUCTS/GADGETS IS DIRECTLY RELATED TO USE/ABUSE
OF ECOLOGICAL RESOURCES (OF COURSE OTHER THAN THE FINANCIAL ONES).

IT IS EVIDENT THAT DURING THE MAKING OF THESE OBJECTS AND AFTER THEIR
UTILITARIAN LIFE IS OVER, THERE IS LOT OF WASTE ALSO.

HOWEVER, THIS DIRECT AND SIMPLE RELATIONSHIP IS FOGGED DUE TO MANY

OTHER INTENTS RELATING TO ECONOMY, PROFIT, TRICKLE DOWN EFFECTS,
FREEDOM OF INDIVIDUAL CHOICE, FUN IN VARIETY ETC.
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MOST OF OUR STUFF REQUIRES THE EARTH’S NATURAL RESOURCES DURING
PRODUCTION PROCESS. NATURAL RESOURCES ARE THEREFORE, UNDER HEAVY
PRESSURE EVERYWHERE IN THE WORLD.

HERE ARE SOME STATISTICS ON THE DEPLETION OF NATURAL RESOURCES (ABOUT

DIFFERENT MINERALS) THAT GO INTO OUR PHONES, TELEVISIONS, OR
COMPUTERS.
• TELEPHONES ARE MADE FROM AS MANY AS 42 DIFFERENT MINERALS,
INCLUDING ALUMINUM, BERYLLIUM, COAL, COPPER, GOLD, IRON, LIMESTONE,
SILICA, SILVER, TALC AND WOLLASTONITE.
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• A TELEVISION REQUIRES 35 DIFFERENT MINERALS, AND A COMPUTER
MORE THAN 30.
• ON AVERAGE EVERYONE USES 16 KILOS OF RESOURCES EXTRACTED
FROM EARTH EVERY DAY - METAL, FOSSIL ENERGY, AND MINERALS. IN
THE WESTERN WORLD THIS NUMBER IS MUCH HIGHER - UP TO 57
KILOS OF NEWLY-MINED MINERALS PER DAY.
• THE PROBLEM IS GETTING WORSE AS WORLD POPULATION AND
THEIR CONSUMPTION KEEPS ON GROWING FASTER. PRODUCTION OF
MINED METAL COMMODITIES IS EXPECTED TO INCREASE BY 250
PERCENT BY 2030.
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• A NEWBORN INFANT NEEDS 360 KILOS OF LEAD, 340 KILOS OF ZINC,

680 KILOS OF COPPER, 1,630 KILOS OF ALUMINUM, 14,800 KILOS OF
IRON, AND 560,000 KILOS OF STONE, SAND, GRAVEL AND CEMENT
DURING HIS/HER LIFE TIME HIGHLIGHTING THE RELATIONSHIP
BETWEEN OUR CONSUMPTION OF STUFF AND NATURAL RESOURCE
DEPLETION.
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• IT HAS BEEN CALCULATED THAT HUMANS ARE USING 30% MORE
RESOURCES THAN THE EARTH CAN REPLENISH EACH YEAR, WHICH IS
LEADING TO DEFORESTATION, DEGRADED SOILS, POLLUTED AIR AND
WATER, AND DRAMATIC DECLINES IN NUMBERS OF FISH AND OTHER
SPECIES, RUNNING UP AN ECOLOGICAL DEBT OF $4TR (£2.5TR) TO
$4.5TR EVERY YEAR .
• FOR ALL THE BUYING SPREE, SOMETIMES OUT OF NECESSAITY AND
OFTEN IN PURSUIT OF GETTING HOLD OF SOME TRENDY TRIVIA, WE
PAY A HEAVY PRICE, ENVIRONMENTALLY AND ECOLOGICALLY.
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IT IS ARGUED THAT IF WE CONTROL OUR ‘PRODUCT ADDICTION’ AND
OUR IMPLUSE TO BUY WE CAN NOT ONLY SERVE THE ENVIRONMENT
AND ECOLOGY, BUT THIS EXPERIENCE CAN ENRICH OUR INNER LIVES.
(REMEMBER THE FOCUS OF THE COURSE IS BOTH ECOLOGY AND
ETHICS AND SPIRITUALITY.)

IF WE MANAGE TO BUY FEWER THINGS, MAKE BETTER DECISIONS

ABOUT WHAT WE REALLY NEED, AND EXPLORE OTHER ALTERNATIVES
TO BUYING, WE MAY BE ABLE TO PLAY OUR PART IN OUR GLOBAL AND
UNIVERSAL PURSUIT OF SUSTAINABLE RESOURCE USE AND STABALISE
THE FRAGILE ECOSYSTEMS OF THE WORLD.
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WE MUST KNOW WHY DO WE BUY TO REDUCE THE BUYING
ADDICTION OR TO FIND ALTERNATIVES TO IT. MANY REASONS
INCLUDE
• SOMETHINGS ARE NECESSARY AND USEFUL
• PRODUCTS ARE OUTWARD SYMBOLS OF WEALTH, RANK,
PREVILEDGE,STATUS AND PLACE IN THE SOCIAL PECKING ORDER
• TO SATISFY SWINGS OF FUN, TREND, FAD, FASHION, STYLE,FRENZY
• OUT OF BOREDOM TO FIND SOME EXCITEMENT
• BUYING ON IMPULSE (OTHERWISE OR SALES)
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• DEEP AESTHETICS AND ASSOCIATIONAL IMAGINATIONS CREATED BY

ADVERTISEMENT ABOUT PRODUCTS
• TRAPS OF ADVERTISEMENT LIKE SMALLER, COMPACT, MINIATURE,
SLEEKEST, VALUE ADDED OBJECTS
• MANIPULATION OF DESIRES WITH ACHIEVING EXTRA CONTROL AND
FEATURES OR PORTABILITY IN NEW PRODUCTS
• LURE OF PACKAGING IN THE NAME OF BEAUTY, DELIGHT
• FEELINGS OF DIS-SATISFACTION WITH WHAT ONE ALREADY HAS AND
TO SHOP FOR SOMETHING ELSE
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ON THE OTHER END, INDUSTRY’S OBJECTIVES OF NEW SHAPES AND
PRODUCT DESIGNS ARE
• LEGITIMATE PROFITS
• NEW SHAPES WITH BETTER FUNCTIONS, ADDED FUNCTIONS OR NEW
TECHNO-BASED FUNCTIONS
• BLIND PURSUIT OF GREED BY INTROUCING NEW FASHIONS IN PRODUCTS
• FACTORIES, CORPORATIONS, INDUSTRIAL CARTELS, TRNSPORTATION
NETWORKS, ADVERTISING INDUSTRY, MEDIA AND GOVERNMENTS –ALL
CREATE, EXPLOIT AND DIRECT THE CONSUMER LIFE STYLES IN THE NAME
OF ECONOMIC ACTIVITY
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7.2 CONSUMER TRIANGLE
THE GLOBAL POPULATION CAN BE DIVIDED INTO THREE CATEGORIES
ACCORDING TO THEIR CONSUMERISTIC BEHAVIOURS:
1. THE AFFLUENT WESTERN SOCIETIES WITH THEIR THROW-AWAY LIFE
STYLES AND WASTE CULTURE
2. PREVIOUS COMMUNIST REGIMES WITH THEIR PRESENT CRAVINGS FOR
MORE AND MORE MATERIAL GOODS
3. DEVELOPING COUNTRIES WITH COLONIAL PASTS ENTERING INTO THE
AGE AND STAGE OF LONGING DUE TO DEVELOPMENT, GLOBALIZATION,
EXPLOSION OF TOURISM AND GROWTH OF TELEVISION
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WITH THESE KINDS OF WORLD CONSUMPTION PATTERNS AND RATE OF

CONSUMERISM THE GLOBAL POPULATION WOULD NEED AT LEAST
TWO PLANETS TO PROVIDE FOR THEIR WANTS IN THE 2030s.

THEREFORE , CONSIDERATION FOR DECIDING WHETHER TO BUY OR

NOT TO BUY SEEMS VERY VALID, AND THERE IS AN URGENT NEED FOR
PEOPLE TO THINK ALONG DIFFERENT LINES ABOUT BUYING AND
BUYING ADDICTION.
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7.3 THE QUALITY OF LIFE
CONSUMERISM IS NOT DEEPLY INGRAINED IN WORLD CULTURES; IT IS FAIRLY
RECENT PHENOMENON AND WE CAN LEARN TO COME OUT OF IT –HOPEFULLY.
BEFORE EXPLORING THE OPTIONS FOR NOT BUYING, WE MUST EXPLORE THE
SATISFACTION, ASPIRATION AND LONGING ISSUES RELATED TO BUYING OR
OWNING OBJECTS/PRODUCTS VERSUS OTHER JOYS.
PSYCHOLOGIST HAVE SHOWN THAT OBJECTS CAN NEVER FULFIL REAL HUMAN
NEEDS AND LONGING. SURVEYS SHOW THAT STILL PEOPLE FIND HAPPINESS,
PEACE, INNER JOY DURING
• PASTIMES WITH FAMILY
• PARTICIPATING IN SOCIAL GATHERINGS
• RELIGIOUS WORSHIP
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• WATCHING OR DOING SPORT
• ARTISTIC PURSUITS, CRAFTING ACTIVITIES
• BUILDING OR REPAIRING AROUND THE HOUSE
• GARDENING
• COOKING
• TRAVEL
• SPENDING TIME WITH NATURE
THESE ACTIVITIES PROVIDE SPIRITUAL INNER CALMNESS, ESTABLISH
STRONG HUMAN BONDS/RELATIONS AND PROVIDE MEANING TO OUR LIVES.
TIME THUS SPENT IN NON-MATERIALISTIC PURSUITS IS GOOD FOR
ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY. (DISCUSSION AND EXAMPLES INVOLVING
STUDENTS)
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7.4 THE QUESTIONS BEFORE BUYING
BEFORE MAKING A BUYING DECISION WE MUST ASK THESE
QUESTIONS FROM OURSELVES.
1. DO I REALLY NEED IT?
1. PURPOSE
2. ADVANTAGES/DISADVANTAGES
3. PAYING FOR UN-NECESSARY FEATURES NOT TO BE USED
4. POSSIBILITY OF ATROPHY OF MY SKILLS
5. EASE OF REPAIR, MAINTENANCE, SPAREPARTS
6. WELL MADE??
7. STURDY AND LONGLASTING ??
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2. CAN I BUY IT SECOND HAND? (DISCUSS CULTURE, INHABITIONS ETC)
3. CAN I BUY IT AT DISCOUT?
4. CAN I BORROW IT?
5. CAN I RENT IT?
6. CAN I LEASE IT?
7. CAN I SHARE IT?
8. CAN WE OWN IT AS A GROUP?
9. CAN I BUILD IT MYSELF?
10. CAN I ASSEMBLE IT MYSELF BY OWNING A KIT?
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MUST ASK QUESTIONS AIMED AT PROTECTING ENVIRONMENT

1. WILL IT HARM THE ENVIRONMENT?

2. DOES IT SAVE/WASTE ENERGY ?
3. WHAT KIND OF MATERIAL HAS BEEN USED IN IT?

DISCUSSION WITH STUDENTS

ASK EXAMPLES
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SHARING THINGS WITH OTHERS, NEIGHBOURS, COMMUNITY

MAKE A LIST OF UNDER-UTILISED OBJECTS

LOOK FOR THOSE PRODUCTS WHICH GIVE MORE LENGTHY
WARRANTIES
DESIGNERS HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO CREATE NEW DESIGNS WHICH
CAN SUSTAIN USE BY SEVERAL PEOPLE
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THE LONGER THAT OVERSHOOT PERSISTS, THE GREATER THE PRESSURE

ON ECOLOGICAL SERVICES, INCREASING THE RISK OF ECOSYSTEM
COLLAPSE, WITH POTENTIALLY PERMANENT LOSSES OF ECONOMIC
PRODUCTIVITY, RENEWABLE AND NON-RENEWABLE ENVIRONMENTAL
RESOURCES, HUMAN LIFE AND OTHER FORMS OF LIFE ON PLANET
EARTH.