Module 9 Consumer education - APCEIU

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Economic Growth Does Not Measure the Quality of Development National income or GDP (Gross Domestic Production) increases no matter what we spend our money on. Thus, the concept of 'quality' can be neglected (and indeed often is) when development is equated only with economic growth. This includes the quality of development, the quality of human life and the quality of the natural environment. This idea about 'quality' is illustrated in a story about Anton and Marti, and how their changing spending habits affect the economist's ideal of development. Listen to a song by Alan AtKisson at the Center for a New American Dream about this paradox.
A Story About Economic Growth and the Quality of Life Anton and Marti once owned a small three hectare farm where they worked hard to be self-sufficient. They grew as much their food as they could. Their two children also helped out. They had a rich home life - but they were not good for the nation's business because they consumed so little. However, one sad day, Anton and Marti realised they could no longer make ends meet, especially with increasing medical and <strong>education</strong> costs for their children. So, Anton found a job in the city, over 100 kilometres away. He borrowed money to buy a car to drive to work each day. The cost of the car and the weekly petrol bill all added to the nation's GDP. Anton worked very long hours and, increasingly, stayed in the city overnight to avoid driving home. He also started drinking more often. The costs of his beer and hotel bills were also added to the GDP. Two years later, Marti asked Anton to leave the family because his absences and bad city habits were disrupting the family. The lawyer's fee for the divorce was added to the GDP - as was the rent that they were now paying on two apartments after they sold the farm and the cost of a car for Marti and the children. The people who bought the farm built some townhouses and sold them for $100,000 each. This resulted in a spectacular jump in GDP. Two more years passed by. Then, after work one day, Anton and Marti met. After having dinner a few times, they decided to live together again. They gave up their apartments, sold one of their cars and moved back to the country. They lived in a small barn on a farm owned by Marti's family, and started to renovate it themselves. They lived frugally, watched their money, started to grow their own food, and learned to live as a family again. Guess what The nation's GDP registered a fall - and many economists would say that we are now all worse off! Source: Adapted from Adbusters Quarterly, 1 (4), p. 74.
Page 1 and 2: Introduction As with issues of citi
Page 3 and 4: OECD (1997) Sustainable Consumption
Page 5 and 6: Begin by opening your learning jour
Page 7 and 8: Population - Whose Problem Source:
Page 11 and 12: World Bank economist, Herman Daly,
Page 14 and 15: Consumption Does Not Guarantee Happ
Page 17: Many Poor People Live in the Most A
Page 21 and 22: Many Polluting Industries are Movin
Page 23 and 24: Environmental Costs The producton o
Page 27 and 28: Why are the Resources Impacts of No
Page 29 and 30: Thus, while consumption may be a ca
Page 31 and 32: Wants Wants are the goods and servi
Page 33 and 34: Globalisation Globalisation is more
Page 35 and 36: Changing and Improving Products and
Page 37 and 38: Changing Patterns of Household, Gov
Page 41 and 42: Many countries greatly exceed the f
Page 43 and 44: Q15: What is the size of your Ecolo
Page 45 and 46: The American Footprint ... Estimate
Page 47 and 48: Compound Footprinting The most robu
Page 49 and 50: Consume less by consuming less per
Page 51 and 52: Country Population (1995) The Ecolo
Page 53 and 54: How and why to teach with the Ecolo
Page 55 and 56: How did you score Check your total
Page 57 and 58: Towards a Definition There are many
Page 59 and 60: Taking such principles into account
Page 61 and 62: Use If the product goes into the dr
Page 63 and 64: Sustainable consumption requires ev
Page 65 and 66: Defining Sustainable Consumption -
Page 67 and 68: Q23: Explain how you could adapt th
Page 69 and 70:
Consumption does not guarantee happ
Page 71 and 72:
The work-and-spend cycle Alienation
Page 73 and 74:
Activity 7 - Reflection Q22: Answer
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Module 9 Consumer education - APCEIU

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