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Consumption Atlas
How much are you really consuming? The Australian Conservation Foundation have created an innovative online tool, the Consumption Atlas, that maps Australians patterns of consumption and the environmental impact of our current lifestlyes.
Consuming Australia?
Using the Consumption Atlas, you can find out the environmental impact of your city/region via different environmental indicators, such as greenhouse pollution, water use or ecological footprint. The Consumption Atlas provides you with a ‘consumption profile’ so you can see the types of consumption that have the biggest impact in your area. The site clearly explains the different types (or categories) of consumption and provides tips to encourage you to lessen your environmental impact.
The Consumption Atlas produces some really interesting facts and figures, and could be a useful tool for students to:
- analyse the environmental impact of consumption in your city/region
- compare the environmental impact of consumption in your city/region to nearby areas
- compare the environmental impact of consumption on your state and other states across Australia.
The ACF also provide a link to the key findings of the Consuming Australia report that was used to develop the website. Click here to view report (pdf file). The report identifies some interesting issues that could impact on the way we approach our sustainability challenges. For example:
- Most of our environmental impact actually comes from the pollution created and resources used in the production, distribution and consumption of our goods and services
- Nearly half an average household’s eco-footprint is attributable to food production
- Emissions generated from food production and purchasing goods (combined) are more than four times the emissions from personal electricity use
- Households with higher incomes buy and consume more than less affluent households and there is a close correlation between increasing wealth and increasing greenhouse pollution and water use.
So even though it is vital to encourage energy and water conservation, this report suggests that if we really want to tackle sustainability issues we must begin to address the indirect environmental impacts associated with the food we eat, the clothes we wear, and all of the other products we buy. Challenging stuff!
To visit the ACF Consumption Atlas, click here.
