Global recession and the environment
12 September 2008
The other day I came across a question which I found very interesting.
Would global recession benefit the environment?
The economic slow-down is currently a big talking point so I thought this question provided a suitable beginning to research my article. When I looked at the online poll which posted this question I was surprised to see that 60% of the respondents answered with a definite 'NO'. My initial response was the opposite. Well, yes of course it would benefit the environment, in times of economic hardship we cut back on spending which in turn means we consume less of everything and hey presto am I wrong in thinking that less consumption equals less environmental impact? I soon discovered that my simple logic did not do justice to the complexity of this topic.
Upon reading the responses to the poll further I noticed some reoccurring comments which pointed out to me a rather ominous set of outcomes to an economic recession. Environmental concerns are often criticised as being something for the middle class to complain about, which implies that in times when purse strings must be tightened, the money spent on protecting the environment will be the first thing to disappear. This principle goes for the Government coffers right down to our supermarket trolleys, budgets for environmental conservation are cut, we stop buying the expensive organic and ethical products and businesses will toss corporate responsibility out of the window in pursuit of shrinking profit margins.
Before you start to find this all a bit too depressing, I think I have made a vital observation. Yes, this is a divided issue and yes, funding for environmental research and development might be cut, there might be a reduction in corporate innovations, governments might put forth legislation that compromises our environment, and the least environmentally friendly products may still be the cheapest. These however are global issues controlled by market forces which we are virtually powerless to influence.
Now look at the positives. If we become more savvy with our purchases by throwing less away and making what we have go further, if rising costs mean we don't go on holidays that involve air travel, if our electricity bills rocket so we remember to turn off our appliances when we're not using them. Unlike the former, these things are actions which we have direct control over, changes which we have the power to make and I'm sure they are changes that can be tolerated if one considers the alternative. In the end these may be actions we can no longer shy away from, but they are issues that have the potential to lessen the economic pressure while at the same time steering us toward a more sustainable future.
Hopelessly submitting to global forces that we are at the mercy of will surely lead to less prosperous times. While making positive and beneficial changes to our lifestyles now will not just help us to save money in the short term but will improve the prospective lives for us and our future families.