Cuestionario

Names: Sofia Prada Guzmán. Johan Sebastián Agudelo Chibuque. Juan Pablo Rodríguez Pineda.

1.       How is define the consumption factor in the article?

The consumption factor is defined in the article as a sum of all local consumptions and with this sum; we can get the total world consumption. To calculate a local consumption value we have to multiply the number of population and the local per capita consumption rate.

2.       In terms of what measurement or index in the consumption factor define?

The consumption factor is measured according to several factors like the amount of things that people buy, the natural resources exploitation and pollution levels in a specific country or city, the alternative energies implemented in cities and the consumption habits in societies.

3.       what is more problematic, Population growing or consumption?

Consumption is more problematic because the consumption factor doesn´t depend on the number of people living in a place. It depends on the economies, ideologies and politics present in a country. Also, the consumption habits are the main problem because people buy a lot of things that are useless or things that were designed to be obsolete in a short time. If we do a comparison between USA and Kenya we can realized that consumption rates are very different because a North American consumes 32 times that a Kenyan consumes. We can see in the example an abysmal difference between these countries. USA is exploiting the world natural resources without sustainability and developing countries are the main affected because they own natural resources but they don´t have a high economy, so the first-world countries take advantage of the necessities and they enjoy of the resources of the other countries. Population growing doesn´t affect directly because all depends in the ideology and way of thinking in a country, where people can buy just necessary things and don´t waste money buying everything that appears in television.

4.       What do you think about the idea that poor or emerging economies have the right to grow and get richer no matter what the consumption of (natural) resources involved?

That idea is completely wrong. Poor and emerging economies have to find a way to grow up and advance, but they don´t have the right to destroy natural resources to achieve a high economy. They have to find alternatives solutions that supply their economies and the environment at the same time. On the other hand, the consumption rates in first-world have to decrease because this kind of economy is untenable. Probably, many of people in first-world disagree in reduce their consumption levels but one day, they won´t have choice because all natural resources in the world are being contaminated, exploited and destroyed.

How wasteful are your consumption habits?

We think that we have a considerable consumption rate and sometimes, we buy unnecessary things or we aren´t aware about natural resources that we have. For example, many people in our country waste many amounts of water and in the future it will become in a serious problem because our consumption rates are overcoming the regeneration rates of natural resources. Many people waste many water washing their cars, taking a shower (15 – 30 minutes), brushing their teeth and they don´t close the tap. It´s worrying the lack of awareness about the care of our water resources, and many people have the wrong thinking that natural resources will be available forever.

How do they compare to people living in surrounding areas to Bogotá (or your place)?

We think that people who live in surrounding areas to Bogotá are affected considerably because the factories located in Bogotá produce pollution and contaminate surrounding areas. Also, little producers like farmers are affected by big factories and they can´t compete against the low prices that supermarkets and big industries offer to people.

How do they compare to poor people and communities living in rural areas?

Poor people is affected by consumerism because many of them were forced to leave all their possessions because of terrorist groups or maybe, factories needed to exploit natural resources to rise their production rates. It is an immoral and unethical thinking that many factories keep in their minds and the only relevant thing to them is earn money without measure the environmental impacts. As a consequence of many people displaced, some of them have to work in factories with low salaries and working in heartless conditions. All of these factors are combined and allow the damage to environment and poor people.

How big do you think is our relative per capita consumption rate?

We think that our relative per capita consumption is moderately high, especially in big cities like Bogotá. Many people follow trends and they want to buy all the products that market and communication media show us, no matter if they buy useless and unnecessary things. All the raw material employed in several industries like cosmetics, food, pharmaceutical, and others is exploited without taking into account the environmental impact. In consumer societies the only objective that people want is to buy a lot of things, work, and earn more money to buy new things, it is a repetitive process.

We have to change our way of thinking to decrease the damage of natural resources. Nowadays a consumer economy won´t last for many time because we don´t have the enough raw materials to continue producing high amounts of products as we do now. A consumer society is characterized because people are used to throw to the trash everything that doesn´t work and people don´t think in recycle or fix damaged devices or things. For example when people don´t wear some socks because these have holes, instead of sew and close the holes, people prefer throw these socks to the trash and go to the supermarket and buy a new couple.

We have to change our way of thinking and start to do something now! We can wait until all natural resources get destroyed to change our habits. We have many solutions that we don´t use yet like recycling. It´s true that recycling won´t fix all the damaged that we have done but it contributes to reduce pollution in a considerable way. As a chemical engineers we have to think in sustainable processes that allow supply the human being needs and at the same time protect and care the environment.