氣候變化時(shí)代可持續(xù)消費(fèi)的重要性

文/多拉·馬里馬 譯/修文喬

掃碼聽(tīng)讀

我們生活在一個(gè)高速運(yùn)轉(zhuǎn)的世界，萬(wàn)物瞬息變化。商品使用周期設(shè)計(jì)得很短，因而可以很快更替。這一切給能源、水、土地和自然環(huán)境等資源帶來(lái)了更大的壓力，而這正是全球變暖的關(guān)鍵所在。氣候變化是現(xiàn)代深層次問(wèn)題“過(guò)度消費(fèi)”的癥狀之一，而“過(guò)度消費(fèi)”要求我們開(kāi)采更多的自然資源，生產(chǎn)更多的產(chǎn)品，為我們所生活的現(xiàn)代社會(huì)提供更多的服務(wù)。排放溫室氣體最多的行業(yè)包括交通運(yùn)輸、能源、工業(yè)生產(chǎn)、服務(wù)、建筑和農(nóng)業(yè)。這些污染程度高、對(duì)氣候不友好的行業(yè)都是為人類(lèi)服務(wù)的。人類(lèi)對(duì)汽車(chē)、飛機(jī)、電力、大型辦公室和住宅、電信服務(wù)、技術(shù)、娛樂(lè)和快餐等有需求。這些與消費(fèi)相關(guān)的碳排放的背后推手是日益盛行的消費(fèi)主義風(fēng)氣。然而，人們認(rèn)為碳排放由各行業(yè)所致，卻沒(méi)有意識(shí)到自己通過(guò)消費(fèi)模式助推了生產(chǎn)活動(dòng)。如此還會(huì)錯(cuò)失機(jī)會(huì)去激勵(lì)消費(fèi)者產(chǎn)生對(duì)可持續(xù)商品和服務(wù)的需求，而要提供這類(lèi)商品和服務(wù)，各行業(yè)必須重新審視自己的生產(chǎn)流程，降低碳排放。

是什么助長(zhǎng)了過(guò)度消費(fèi)？

“用完即棄”心態(tài)

2現(xiàn)代社會(huì)的特點(diǎn)是過(guò)度消費(fèi)和過(guò)度生產(chǎn)，結(jié)果產(chǎn)生了大量便于使用的一次性塑料制品。這些塑料制品在生產(chǎn)過(guò)程中和廢棄處理時(shí)都會(huì)釋放溫室氣體和毒素。這個(gè)崇尚“用完即棄”的社會(huì)不再看重可以永久使用的、既耐用又可修的產(chǎn)品，而更喜歡購(gòu)買(mǎi)大批量生產(chǎn)的廉價(jià)產(chǎn)品。丟棄這類(lèi)產(chǎn)品后，人們幾乎不關(guān)心它們的最終去向。

“微波爐”文化

3“過(guò)度消費(fèi)”是由“想要就能馬上得到”的需求驅(qū)動(dòng)的！在現(xiàn)代社會(huì)，消費(fèi)者不想等待任何東西。微波爐、機(jī)械設(shè)備、吹風(fēng)機(jī)、烤面包機(jī)、手機(jī)、電腦等技術(shù)的涌現(xiàn)更加劇了這一趨勢(shì)，它們讓大家認(rèn)為一切都應(yīng)唾手可得。雖然技術(shù)提高了生產(chǎn)效率，改進(jìn)了生產(chǎn)方法，但很多產(chǎn)品是由不易修復(fù)的一次性材料制成的，導(dǎo)致大量的塑料和電子廢棄物堆積在垃圾填埋場(chǎng)里，毒素滲入土壤。

為何可持續(xù)消費(fèi)是應(yīng)對(duì)氣候變化的關(guān)鍵？

4根據(jù)聯(lián)合國(guó)環(huán)境規(guī)劃署的定義，可持續(xù)消費(fèi)指人類(lèi)使用物質(zhì)產(chǎn)品、能源和非物質(zhì)服務(wù)時(shí)，將對(duì)環(huán)境的影響降到最低，從而既能滿(mǎn)足當(dāng)前的需要，又能滿(mǎn)足后代的需求。這對(duì)于實(shí)現(xiàn)可持續(xù)發(fā)展至關(guān)重要，因此，聯(lián)合國(guó)制定了針對(duì)可持續(xù)消費(fèi)和生產(chǎn)的“第12 項(xiàng)目標(biāo)”。這一目標(biāo)要求消費(fèi)者重新審視個(gè)人消費(fèi)模式，并評(píng)估他們所消費(fèi)的一切對(duì)環(huán)境有何影響。消費(fèi)者應(yīng)根據(jù)所購(gòu)買(mǎi)的產(chǎn)品和服務(wù)使用了多少水、能源、土地和原材料進(jìn)行消費(fèi)選擇。舉例來(lái)說(shuō)，這將意味著決定少吃加工食品和紅肉，少開(kāi)車(chē)，少坐飛機(jī)，少買(mǎi)衣服、玩具、小物件和其他非必要的商品和服務(wù)。

如何實(shí)現(xiàn)可持續(xù)消費(fèi)？

變革行動(dòng)

5可持續(xù)消費(fèi)要求消費(fèi)者采取變革行動(dòng)，從而從根本上改變商品和服務(wù)的生產(chǎn)和消費(fèi)方式。消費(fèi)者不能繼續(xù)采取原來(lái)的“鄰避”態(tài)度，即將垃圾扔進(jìn)垃圾箱，任由其被運(yùn)到遠(yuǎn)離他們的地方處理，或許就是散發(fā)著惡臭的非正規(guī)住房區(qū)附近。社會(huì)本身有責(zé)任尋求新的變革性方式，讓消費(fèi)者更認(rèn)真地思考產(chǎn)品用了什么材料，在哪里制造，如何生產(chǎn)、包裝和運(yùn)輸，以及如何制備、消費(fèi)和廢棄處理。對(duì)產(chǎn)品的生命周期進(jìn)行分析至關(guān)重要。

生產(chǎn)者責(zé)任

6生產(chǎn)者負(fù)有重大責(zé)任，須確保其產(chǎn)品以具有可持續(xù)性的方式生產(chǎn)，且耐用、持久。如今，消費(fèi)者每天面對(duì)大量造價(jià)低廉、可輕易獲得的石油化工產(chǎn)品。這些產(chǎn)品無(wú)法重新使用，也無(wú)法修補(bǔ)或修理，其中很多產(chǎn)品甚至無(wú)法回收，也無(wú)法改造另作他用。世界各地的垃圾填埋場(chǎng)都堆滿(mǎn)了產(chǎn)品，不斷占用住房和糧食生產(chǎn)所需的有限空地。各行業(yè)必須考慮到產(chǎn)品生命周期的全過(guò)程，確保他們的產(chǎn)品最終不會(huì)被填埋，而是可以回收重新用于生產(chǎn)。

消費(fèi)者教育和意識(shí)

7消費(fèi)者教育是確?？沙掷m(xù)消費(fèi)的重要一環(huán)。生產(chǎn)者有義務(wù)公開(kāi)產(chǎn)品信息，讓消費(fèi)者能做出負(fù)責(zé)任的選擇。如今，負(fù)責(zé)任和有自覺(jué)意識(shí)的消費(fèi)者希望了解生產(chǎn)過(guò)程、產(chǎn)品來(lái)源、所用材料、耕作方式等信息。明確這類(lèi)信息可以讓消費(fèi)者做出負(fù)責(zé)任的選擇，利用他們的購(gòu)買(mǎi)力影響產(chǎn)品的制造方式。這將使生產(chǎn)者重新思考合乎道德的生產(chǎn)方法，并將這些實(shí)踐融入品牌建設(shè)。 □

We live in a fast-paced world where things change rapidly, goods are designed to become obsolete so that they will be replaced sooner, thus putting more pressure on resources like energy, water, land and the natural environment. This is at the heart of global warming. Climate change is a symptom of a deeper modern-day problem of overconsumption which demands more mining of natural resources, manufacturing of goods and greater offerings of services to the modern society we live in. The sectors that contribute mostly to greenhouse gas emissions include transport, energy, industrial production, services, construction and agriculture. At the heart of these highly polluting and climate unfriendly sectors lie human beings who demand cars,airplanes, electricity, large offices and homes, telecommunication services,technologies, entertainment, fast food and so on. These consumption-related carbon emissions are fueled by a growing consumerism culture. However, carbon emissions are seen as produced by industries without recognizing the role that people make in driving production through consumer patterns. This also results in a missed opportunity to challenge consumers to demand sustainably produced goods and services that will require industries to relook at their production processes and make them less carbon-intensive.

What fuels overconsumption?

Throw-away mentality

2This modern society is characterized by overconsumption and excessive production resulting in a flood of convenient, disposable, throw-away products made out of plastic that release greenhouse gases and toxins, both during production and when disposed-off.This throw-away society no longer sees value in durable, repairable products that could last forever but prefer to buy mass produced, cheap products that are discarded with little regard for where they end up.

“Microwave” culture

3Overconsumption is driven by the need to “want and get everything right now”! Consumers don’t want to wait for anything in these modern days.This has been exacerbated by a flood of technologies like microwaves, machine machines, hair dryers, toasters, cellular phones, computers and so on that make society believe that everything must be readily available at their fingertips.Even though technology has increased efficiency and production practices have improved, many of these products are made out of disposable material that is not easily repaired, resulting in heaps of plastic and electronic-waste filling up landfills and toxins leaching into the soil.

Why is sustainable consumption key to fighting climate change?

4The United Nations Environment defines sustainable consumption as the use of material products, energy and immaterial services in such a way that it minimizes the impact on the environment, so that human needs can be met not only in the present but also for future generations. This is crucial in order for sustainable development to be achieved and as a result, the United Nations has Goal Number 12 that deals with sustainable consumption and production. This goal requires consumers to rethink their individual consumption patterns and assess the environmental impact of everything that they are consuming. Consumers should be making consumption choices based on how much water, energy, land and raw materials the products and services they are acquiring have used. This will mean, for instance, deciding to eat less processed food and red meat, driving and flying less, buying less clothes,toys, gadgets and other unnecessary goods and services.

What is required for sustainable consumption to be achieved?

Transformational action

5Sustainable consumption requires transformational action on the part of the consumer that will result in a fundamental change in the way that goods and services are produced and consumed. Consumers cannot continue with the usual “not-in-my-backyard1“鄰避”是not in my back yard 的縮寫(xiě)NIMBY 的居民或當(dāng)?shù)貦C(jī)構(gòu)因擔(dān)心建設(shè)項(xiàng)目對(duì)身體健康、環(huán)影響，而采取集體反對(duì)甚至抗?fàn)幍男袨楹蛻B(tài)度?！盿ttitude where their waste is thrown into the bin to be disposed-off in a place far away from them and perhaps close to informal housing areas emitting a foul smell. It is incumbent upon society itself to look for new and transformative ways in which consumers think more carefully about the materials that are used to make products, where these products were made, how they were made, packaged, transported; how they are prepared, how they are consumed and disposed of. The life-cycle analysis of products is a very key issue.

Producer responsibility

6Producers have a huge responsibility to ensure that their products are sustainably produced, durable and long lasting. Nowadays, consumers are bombarded by a flood of cheaply produced and available products, made out of petroleum-based materials that cannot be reused, repaired or fixed. Many of these products cannot even be recycled or upcycled for other uses. Landfills around the world are overflowing with products that continue to use up the limited vacant land needed for housing and food production. Industries must consider cradle-to-grave practices where their products do not end up in landfills but can be reclaimed back into their production processes.

Consumer education and awareness

7Consumer education is critical to ensure sustainable consumption. Producers should be obliged to make information about their products public so that the consumers can make responsible choices. Nowadays, responsible and conscious consumers want to know about production processes, origins of the products, materials used, farming practices and so on. Having this information enables the consumer to make responsible choices and enable them to use their buying power to influence the way products are made. This would make producers rethink their ethical production practices and introduce these practices into their branding. ■