Archived press release

Over-consumption wrecking the planet

9 January 2004

A new report published today (Friday 9 January) by World Watch will reveal that excessive consumption is having serious consequences for the well-being of people and the planet, and leading to societies with bulging landfill sites, declining fish stocks and rising obesity levels [1].

The report echoes research by Friends of the Earth which found that richer countries need to consume less if we are going to live within environmental limits and allow others their fair share of the Earth's resources [2]. Poorer nations and communities bear the brunt of the pollution caused by over-consumption.

If our patterns of consumption in the UK were repeated around the world, by 2050 we'd need an extra 8 planets. Friends of the Earth is calling on the UK Government to:

• Introduce economic measures to reduce our use of the world's natural resources. Manufacturers should be penalised for using virgin materials where they could use recycled materials instead.
• Find a new way to measure quality of life, rather than rely on GDP to signal the need for more and more economic growth. The review of the Sustainable Development Strategy in 2004-5 is a perfect opportunity to do this.

Friends of the Earth's resource use campaigner Claire Wilton said:

"We have a finite planet, and we are already consuming more than it can sustain. The Government must take a strong lead in encouraging consumers and industry to cut back on the quantities of natural resources we consume and the energy we use."

UK facts and figures [3]

• Household waste has been growing by 2-3 per cent a year.
• Since 1990, the amount of waste not recycled has increased by 14%.
• Road transport has increased in line with GDP since 1990. Cars and other forms of transport account for nearly 30 per cent of world energy use and 95 per cent of global oil consumption, according to the World Watch report.
• Washing machines used 4.5 per cent less energy between 1999 and 2003, but the number of washing machines bought increased from 20.4 million to 25.4 million.

Notes

[1] World Watch, `State of the World 2004'. The report can be accessed at www.worldwatch.org/pubs/sow/2004/

[2] Friends of the Earth (1998) `Tomorrow's World'.

[3] Sources: Defra, `Changing Patterns: UK Government Framework for Sustainable Consumption and Production'; municipal waste management survey 2001-2.

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Published by Friends of the Earth Trust