Sundial Training Module (Spain) Education for Sustainable ...….The Financial revolution: …..‖Private banks lend more money than they actually have, so they create money based

Sundial Training Module (Spain)

Education for Sustainable Development in Adult Learning

2009-2011

VITAXXSLP | SUNDIAL EDUCATIONAL TRAINING MODULE Pág. 1

CONSUMERISM AND EDUCATION:

SOME REFLECTIONS ON SHOPPING FOR TRAINING



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EUROPEAN UNION DISCLAMER

This publication has been produced with the assistance of the European Union Grundtvig funds. The contents of this

publication the sole responsibility of VITA XXI SLP ( www.vita21.eu) on Sundial Project Framework

(http://grundtvigsundial.wordpress.com/ ), and can in no way to be taken to reflect the views of the European Union.

JUNE 2011

http://www.vita21.eu/

http://grundtvigsundial.wordpress.com/



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CONTENT

A. Initial facilitator’s notes……………………………………………………………………………………………..………………Pag.6

B. Introduction …………………………………………………………………………………………………………..…………….. .Pag.7

C. Educational Module Aims…………………………………………………………………………………………….…………….Pag.9

Stage 1: The Challenge: ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………Pag.10

1. Facilitator’s notes…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………...Pag.10

1.1 Activity one: Just have a look at these pictures and think about what they mean/say to you. …………………………...Pag.11

1.2 Activity two: Shopping throughout Time. ……………………………………………………………………………………….Pag.11

1.3 Activity Three: Consequences of present consumerism. …………….……………………………………………………… Pag.12

1.4. Activity Four: Nature cycles as references. ……………..……………………………………………………………………. Pag.13

Stage 2: The Exploration: ……………………………………………………………………………..…………………………….Pag.14

2. Facilitators’ notes…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….Pag.14

2.1. Activity one: Going Shopping …………………………………………………………………………………………………….Pag.14

2.2. Activity two: Family recipe through time………………………………………………………………………………………….Pag.16



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2.3. Activity Three: Brainstorming on the pictures …………………………………………………………………………………...Pag.16

Stage 3.The Analysis ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… Pag.18

3. Facilitator’s notes……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………...Pag.18

3.1. Activity one: A More Sustainable Consumer:……………………………………………………………………………………Pag.18

3.2. Activity two: Comparing my consumer choices with Sustainability dimensions ………………………………………………Pag.22

Stage 4. The way forward……………………………………………………………………………………………………………… Pag.24

4. Facilitator’s notes……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….Pag.24

4.1 Activity one: Role playing…………………………………………………………………………………………………………….Pag.24

4.2. Activity two: Public exhibition in a cultural centre or shopping centre…………………………………………………………..Pag.25

Stage 5: What could change?................................................................................................................................................. Pag.27

5. Facilitator’s notes……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. Pag.27

5.1 Activity one: Degree of personal influence…………………………………………………………………………………………..Pag.27

5.2 Activity two: Ecological Foot print……………………………………………………………………………………………………..Pag.29

5.3. Activity three: How can we do it differently? What are others doing about this? ..................................................................Pag.30



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Readings and references………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….Pag.32

Annex I. Alternative Educational Resources for Training…………………………………………………………………………Pag.37

Facilitator’s notes……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………Pag.38

Video Presentation…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………Pag.39

Activities…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. Pag.40

A commitment to a responsible consumer……………………………………………………………………………………………….Pag.41

Further Reading for reflexion……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….Pag.42

Web references………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………Pag.45

About the Authors…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….Pag.47



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CONSUMERISM AND EDUCATION. TRAINING MODULE.

A. INITIAL FACILITATORS’ NOTES

This educational module on shopping is designed for training adults or students who are interested in Sustainability. It can be

used as an educational tool alone or linked to other tools or topics developed on SUNDIAL educational project (2009

Grundtvig EU Programme).

While using these educational guidelines, you will be able to decide whether or not you want to follow them by doing all

recommended activities or just take one activity from each of the stages. This will be basically up to you and the time to have

to carry out your training session. However, the most important training tip to keep this educational sequence in a logical

cycle is to use at least one activity from each stage or you can add one more to a stage, allowing a dynamic cycle learning

process to be as it is. This will facilitate critical and holistic thinking and it will require by all participants, including the

facilitator, a permanent update while learning which is one of the main aims of the Lifelong Learning EU programs. Feel free

to contact us for improvements and suggestions ( [email protected])

=====================================================TO HAVE IN MIND:

….The Financial revolution: …..‖Private banks lend more money than they actually have, so they create money based on

debt and there is no problem with this if the economy is constantly growing, but if this condition is not fulfilled in time, the

whole system will collapse” From “la quiebra del capitalismo global 2000-2030. El inicial del fin de la enegía fosil:una ruptura histórica total. Ramón

Fernández Durán. Cuaderno interdisciplinar de desarrollo sostenible CUIDES Abril 2011 Nº6 pags: 3-71

mailto:[email protected]



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INTRODUCTION

There has been a lot written about consumer, consumerism, shopping, marketing, etc; (check Internet and Libraries)1

“Consume until you die”,.... “I have to consume more and more to be happy”…,“A developed world is a consumer

world”…… All these phrases make us think about Shopping. Western societies are stimulating citizens to become endless

consumers in order to keep up the economy and to increase more and more the production within limited planetary

resources. This is clearly un-sustainable.

This educational module will guide you through a process of reflexion in relation to our way of life and our patterns of

consumption. Human beings want to be happy, and our happiness mainly depend on believes and values we have.

However, our own social world also promotes dignity and fairness for all human beings. It is true to say that we are living our

unsustainable and unfair momentum.

In this module, we will try to break the linear thinking human link between HAPPINESS = CONSUME.

We are attached to the Greek saying: ―You are not happier, having more rather than needing less” or “Money does not

make happiness”. We are thinking more about “de-growth” rather than continue with this unsustainable way of catching up

figures for the GNP and destroying the planet for few people only. Sharing more and reducing consume will bring about

another approach to life loops and cycles, that lead more to sustainability.

1 You can start on www.acrwebsite.org Association for Consumer Research

http://www.acrwebsite.org/



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Our learning journey will take you step by step into five stages:

a. The Challenge.

b. The Exploration.

c. The Analysis.

d. The Way forward (Take action).

e. ¿What could change? (To influence; getting a positive Impact).

More detailed information about module inception process at:





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EDUCATIONAL MODULE AIMS:

a. To be more aware about products and services while shopping or buying them

b. To consider other criteria or ecological facts while selecting shops and /or products

c. To think about global and local consequences due to our consumption habits

d. To begin a transition towards becoming a more eco-consumer as an individual or as

a group.

e. To explore alternative ways of consumer behavior, considering interdependency and

consequences.



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1. THE CHALLENGE:

1. FACILITATOR’S NOTES. •

This is the first step of five in our learning cycle. The main idea here is to ―challenge‖ previous ideas from the students

with some images and reflections about our way of life. While exploring and analyzing the information and cases, they

will decide to take action to influence somehow their surroundings or community. Nonetheless, the process must start

from each individual (inside him/her) and then be able to persuade in groups the change for a wider community.

It is relevant for the educational learning process to follow each of the steps. As mentioned previously, you can select

or add new activities depending on your audience or time but try to include all the stages for a whole training session.

This education module is still in process, so feel free to add or adapt to the suggested activities if they are going to

enhance the process.



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1.1. Activity one: Just have a look at these pictures and think about what they mean/say to you? (Time: 30min)

Tasks notes: Read the article from the link below. Review Peter Menzel and Faith D’ Aluisio site and make a reflection on our ―eating habits‖. Find more information on their work entitled ―Hungry Planet: What the World Eats‖ Consider food packaging as an issue of consuming resources and being a part of the present production cycle, generating rubbish and having a BIG impact on soil and water environments, two of our more limited valuable resources.

http://www.menzelphoto.com/stories/index.php

Conclusion:

Write on a flipchart common conclusions.

1.2 Activity two: Shopping throughout Time (Time 30 Min)

http://www.menzelphoto.com/stories/index.php



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Task notes.

Having in mind Maslow Pyramid, why do you think human needs have been modified through history? Use these pictures

and as many as you like to guide the development of your opinion.

Conclusion:

Write on a Flipchart common conclusions and challenging experiences. Organize an open exhibition or ppt with the photos and ask visitors to write/share their comments (As part of the exhibition itself).

1.3 Activity Three: Consequences of present consumerism (Time: 60min)

TASK notes:

Use this Internet video as a starter: The story of Staff. http://www.storyofstuff.com/index.php . (20 min video). Discuss

each of the video parts during the session. (Video forum).

Conclusion:

After the video: Team work: Make a short oral presentation about possible solutions or alternatives for the situation and cases

shown. Think of a simple graph to represent the whole production process. Is this the only way?

http://www.storyofstuff.com/index.php



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1.4. Activity Four: Nature cycles as references (Time:30 min)

Task notes:

Make your own reflection about the following cycles in nature

Conclusion:

In groups, make short presentations comparing human production systems and nature cycles



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2. EXPLORATION:

2. FACILITATOR’ NOTES

Having explored the CHALLENGE of shopping, you might want to explore your own situation and those of your students in

relation to shopping habits, and then move on to the community as a further dimension.

2.1 Activity one: Going shopping (Time 1-3 hours)

Task notes:

Imagine you are going shopping in your local home town. Please,

register on the grid below your criteria for going shopping and make a list

of ingredients, which you need to prepare a typical dish from your

country.(Suggestion: It might be a good idea not just imagining going

shopping, but actually doing it so you get the real experience!)

Reference for Reading: Red-Green List Genetically Modified Food/

Fish

http://todayyesterdayandtomorrow.wordpress.com/

(Credits: Images from Clipart).

http://todayyesterdayandtomorrow.wordpress.com/



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Criteria for going shopping Product 1 Product 2 Product3 Product 4 Product 5

1 Price

2 Brand

3 Local Product ( imported)

4 Quality ( ecological, type, etc)

5 Packing

6 Time required for shopping

7 Local supermarket or Shopping Centre

8 Other

Note: Please feel free to add more lines on criteria or more product (ingredients) columns, if necessary.

And

Do not forget to attach the recipe, too!



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Conclusion:

Make a short presentation to the whole group comparing table results and exchanging recipes

2.2. Activity two . Family recipe through time (Time: 1 Hour)

Task notes:

Ask your grandmother or any other older relative or friend to fill in the previous grid and compare the answers and mark main

differences.

Conclusion:

Make a short presentation for the whole group comparing results.

2.3. Activity Three: Brainstorming on the pictures . (Time 1 Hour)

Task Notes:

Ask questions to get the group moving and reflect: … Do the pictures below give you any more criteria or ideas in relation to your

consumer behavior or kind of production systems….Invite students to find their own photos that allow them to express their

individual feelings and criteria while shopping

Some Ideas and questions to start, brainstorming:

a. Shopping habits? Fashion preferences? Money limits?

b. Amount and variety of products. Do you ever think about endless product variety and its environmental and social impact?

c. ¿Do your shopping habits matter? Trash Culture; Consumer Culture; Slow Culture?



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d. ¿Do your food choices matter? Going veggie? Going organic?

e. ¿Where does this product come from? Local markets? Fair Trade?

f. ¿How is it produced... More.

Conclusion:

Share your findings with your own family and write a story about the life history of an ingredient or product of your recipe

(―Once upon a time there was a beautiful dry brown seed of ―…?‖ in the shop of our Mister Miller’s Green Grocer’s in

Cheltenham….‖).

Organize a ―Storytelling‖ of this life history with different age groups (in infant school, primary school, children´s library, etc.).

After listening ask participants to draw the story…. Make a public exhibition in the school, library, community centre etc.

Finally, children/students make video interviews of visitors to get a feeling of the impact of this activity and later on discuss

the outcome in class/group for further development/questions that might have come up as a result of watching the video.



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3. ANALYSIS

3. FACILITATOR’S NOTES

Once the student has expressed his/her ideas on shopping and has explored the relationship between this topic and his or

her own behavior, it is time to analyze and to enhance learning

3.1. Activity one: A MORE SUSTAINABLE CONSUMER: (Time: 1 Hour)

Task notes:

Use the following images as a guide and define the productive system in modern society.

Consider economical, social and environmental issues plus institutional ones to explain each picture. Work in two groups.



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(Creditis:Images from Internet sites)

Conclusion:

Both groups share comments and use the following complementary list to enhance their answers



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COMPLEMENTARY LIST:

SOCIAL ASPECTS:

o Employment. Home budget.

o Shopping culture. Saving or Fashion; Traditions

o Health. Nutritious food / Trash food. Taste/ Flavors

o Education: Shopping values and attitudes.

o Cultural, folk and traditional issues

o Shopping time

-Add…More From Participant,

ECONOMIC ISSUES

o Prices. Salary. Shopping budget

o Transport issues. Product origins

o Marketing / advertisement/ packaging product information (Product data accuracy.)

o Sales. Quantities and Qualities.

o Local economy promotion. Shopping centers /Town local shops, Grocery shops

o Production Process issues.

o Fair trade products.

Add more from participants



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ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES

o Organic Food / healthy food.

o Local food/ imported food

o Seasonal products

o Additives and chemicals in products. Ingredients. Genetically Modified (GMO).

o Waste generation./ Minimization

o International Consumer Boycott (personal/group reasons).

o Fresh products / canned/ frozen products. Energy consumption

Add more from participants

INSTITUTIONAL ISSUES

a. Size of the business ( Multinational corporations/ Local shops)

b. Logistics (international transport systems/producer-buyer).

c. Enterprises, Corporative responsibility; Law, standards and administrative procedures.

d. Funding (Private/Public/Cooperative) and trade agreements

e. One big market/Regional and local markets

Add more from participants.



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3.2. Activity two: Comparing my Consumer choices with Sustainability dimensions. (Time: 1 Hour)

Task notes:

To do this task, you have previously finished Activity 2.1. Then choose your major criteria used while going shopping and fit

them into the following grid, why you use it. Start listing the products and then make your comments. (Use the complementary

list from previous pages)

Nº CRITERIA SELECTED PRODUCT

YOUR COMMENTS

1 Environmental issues 1. 2. 3.

1. 2. 3.

2 Social issues 1 2. 3.

1 2. 3.

3 Economical issues 1. 2. 3. 4

1. 2. 3. 4

4 Institutional issues 1. 2. 3. 4.

1. 2. 3. 4



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Conclusion:

Reflect on your previously used criteria and check if you might consider a change while including those new sustainability

dimensions. Try to set new aims while shopping.



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4. THE WAY FORWARD

4. FACILITATOR’S NOTES:

So far we have worked with: knowing the initial challenge, making an exploration and analyzing consume and shopping

habits. Would all these elements help you make up your mind about what to do next? We suggest that you try to contrast

values and viewpoints on shopping in order to change perspective.

4.1 Activity one: Role playing (Time: 2 Hours or more)

Task notes: I

Imagine that your community or town wants to bring about a change in the way of how to go shopping.

Within this role-play each member can choose a role from a selection of role play cards (see below: roles a - l) and product cards

(role-play 1: food; role-play 2: clothes) and several members will function as observers of the role play. Make sure that all

participants take on one of a role of a-l and choose a product (food or clothes), and in another role-play take the role as observer.

After each role-play, each participant has to reflect about which criteria he/she has used to buy. Participants as observers contribute

with their observations.

a. A fashion person (New brands, Shopping malls, High Class status).

b. A polytechnic student (middle class, practical and functional considerations).

c. An environmentalist (Reduce consume; to reduce rubbish generation and energy waste and pollution).

d. The bank owner (An investor in marketing, brands, leasing, factoring, etc).



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e. The owner of the Shopping mall (Multinational firms, Selling worlds).

f. The Town Major (Economy base on Consumerism (More Jobs): More ecological oriented or more marketing oriented)

Dilemma.

g. Fair Trade business person (Trying to promote local economy and reduce distance between producer and customer).

h. Healthy person (looking for Organic products, locally produced, No GMO, Low-Middle class; unemployed).

i. House wife (Middle class, looking to save money and buying good products).

j. A foreigner (Trying to get something very special without problems and quick or his home products).

k. A lawyer from National Ministry of Commerce (The region is not doing very good in economic growth compared with others)

and have some social problems.

l. An entrepreneur (representing new investors sustainable-oriented).

Conclusion:

After the role-plays, sum up the criteria used by each actor/observer and share experiences, first in relation with your own

role and then in relation to the others. Put all arguments or ideas on flash cards on the wall and group them.

4.2. Activity two: Public exhibition in a cultural centre or shopping centre:

Task Notes:

We are going to make a Local Photo Diagnosis outdoors .Make three groups or more, depending on your audience and topics.

Each one will go out to make some pictures related to shopping, trying to find visual impacts of consumerism on the environment

and/or questioning the way we are buying. Here there are some ideas:



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a. Urban areas: Collecting rubbish vs. Littering activities.

b. Rural Areas: Composting sites and illegal dumping sites.

c. Marine or aquatic environments: Floating waste, leaking and waste water treatment plants.

d. Shopping centre vs. Corner shop

e. A new location or situation you might think relevant to show others about rubbish effects on natural or urban environment.

Then ask permission for an exhibition, to show the pictures at the local cultural centre or in shopping centre nearby. .Ask visitors to

write down in a flip chart alternative ways of doing shopping (Responsible consumer initiatives, exchanging services –Time bank,

etc).

Conclusion:

During the exhibition, try to gather different opinions from visitors about shopping habits, enhancing your point of view and

sharing with them what you have learned on this consumer education module. Finally, try to ask: ¿What can be done to

change or influence shopping habits on a wider perspective? Or ¿how can you make more sustainable choices? You can

make sandwich-boards with sustainable ideas to spread the word. (Suggestion: make a video of the whole activity and

present it in a school class for further discussion)

Reflexion: Why if I know already about powerful multinational market chains situation, I continue going to so my shopping on

fancy malls and do not go to our traditional local grocery store to enhance local economy?



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5. WHAT COULD CHANGE

5. FACILITATOR’ NOTES

We are approaching the end of our learning journey. Therefore, our influence on our surroundings should be manifested

somehow while being in this learning process.

5.1 Activity one: Degree of personal influence (Time: 1 Hour)

Task notes:

Change can only start from within ourselves .Then one will be able to influence the outside. Being a motivated change agent

convinces others about the need to change. My influence on my social world is limited but nowadays it is increased by virtual social

networks. However, the need for cooperation and active participation at an institutional level ought to be promoted to optimize

scarce resources.

Standards, regulations, agreements, interests, lobby groups, and others are securing the system; therefore our actions must

influence these system pillars to get a more sustainable living in a peaceful way.

Use the following diagram to evaluate your potential degree of influence in society. Check links and influence directions. After that

discuss with others about the best way to spread the word about being a more responsible consumer.



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What can I do to

influence others in the

community,

associations, groups,

institutions?

My relatives might

influence me about their

way of buying ¿So how

should I convince them

about being more

sustainable?

2. My family or at least

some members are going

to be influenced by my

attitude on sustainability

while buying…

Do I influence my

colleagues at work about

sustainable shopping

habits? How?

¿ How?

1. Myself.

I am going to

incorporate more

sustainable habits in my

behavior while buying.



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5.2 Activity two: Ecological Foot print.( Time: 1 Hour)

Task notes:

The ecological foot print is an environmental indicator that integrates a human community impact and their land/water/marine

use. Basically, one has to calculate consume from different categories and then make an equivalent on productive biological

surface needed. There are six categories:

a. Crops: Land area to produce vegetables and fruits.

b. Grassland: For cattle ranching.

c. Woods: Forest for paper and wood production.

d. Sea: Coastal and marine areas for fish and marine food.

e. Urban areas. Infrastructures

f. CO2 Absorption Areas: Forest surface needed to absorb CO2 due to fossil fuel consumption for energy production (considering

dwellings, transport, etc)

Key Concepts:

- Appropriate area needed to produce each marketing product

- Annual mean of consume of a marketing product ( Kg/)

- Productivity ( Average) or Yield (Kg/Ha)

You can check for your Ecological Foot Print on line at: http://myfootprint.org/en/visitor_information/

And you can make the test from time to time to see if you are improving.

http://myfootprint.org/en/visitor_information/



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Conclusion:

Compare the results for each student and at different times

Monitor from time to time your own changes on foot print including your new eco-consumer habits, if any.

5.3. Activity three: How can we do it differently? What are others doing about this?( Time: 1-3 Hours)

Task Notes:

Think about the following questions and ideas and maybe, you can do things differently, p.e:

1. Bring my own plastic bag to do the shopping. Do not forget at home or inside the car.

2. When buying fish, ask about where it comes from? Avoid buying protected fish stocks.

http://www.blueocean.org/seafood/seafood-guide

3. Learn more about Sea Food and the impact of marine culture mismanagement.

http://www.blueocean.org/programs/seafood/faq

4. How many years do nappies or pampers need to be decomposed on the dumping site?

a. http://www.bebesecologicos.com/maternidad/sostenible/eco-panales

5. Let’s see what is the recycling program for batteries at my home town?

http://www.scrapbatts.co.uk

6. –What do you prefer to buy: canned food? Frozen food? Liquids on plastics? Bricks? Or Glass? Which is the most

ecological option? Share with your colleagues and give a reason for your option.

http://www.blueocean.org/seafood/seafood-guide

http://www.blueocean.org/programs/seafood/faq

http://www.bebesecologicos.com/maternidad/sostenible/eco-panales

http://www.scrapbatts.co.uk/



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7. Are you truly recycling? Or just putting different materials on different trash bins?

8. Is de-growth movement showing us the way to sustainability?

TAKE ACTION AT HOME

Write at least five things you are able to do to become a more sustainable earth user, starting from home. Make a weekly

target and monitor your own achievement, adding one target at a time ( every week, every two weeks…)and include revising

the others. Share your action and find support in others



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READINGS AND REFERENCES:

1. More information about CONSUMMER HABITS on the web. Contrast with your own habits.

2. Final suggestion: Learn more about Bio-mimicry. This will provide more information about nature functioning and how

we can look for its resemblance instead of obliterate nature with marketing games that maybe allow you to live happy

moments but on the long run will destroy the whole planet due to the greed of very few people.

3. Further reading: Try to get some information about De-growth.

Some critics to the consumer system have come from:

1. Ivan Ililch. Preventing formal institutions from holding a monopoly over school and other information flows could have more

effect on society. Schools are not (as commonly perceived) a 'dependent variable' within society. They are "the reproductive organ

of a consumer society". As such, school has potential to change oppressive systems from within. ( Wikipedia, the free enciclopedia: Ivan

Illich on “Deschooling Society (1971) , line 15-16)

2. André Gortz: ―....Gorz condemns the speculative global economic system and anatomizes its terminal crisis. Advocating an

exit from capitalism through the self-limitation of needs and the networked use of the latest technologies, he outlines a practical,



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democratically based solution to our current predicament.....Gorz argues that the key to planetary survival is not a surrender to

environmental experts and eco-technocrats, but a switch to non-consumerist modes of living that would amount to a type of cultural

revolution...‖ ( Book Review by The University of Chicago Press of Ecologica by André Gorz, Seagull Books, Translation by Chris Turner, 2010. )

3. Vandana Shiva; "In nature's economy the currency is not money, it is life."

Vandana Shiva (Earth Democracy: Justice, Sustainability, and Peace)

"Nature shrinks as capital grows. The growth of the market cannot solve the very crisis it creates." Vandana Shiva (Soil Not Oil: Environmental Justice in an Age of Climate Crisis)

4.Arturo Escobar; “The interconnections between nature, culture, and politics as they are established by various actors and

practices -- the field of political ecology—is a central area of work for me. At present, I define political ecology as the study of

economic, ecological, and cultural distribution conflicts. These conflicts arise out of economic, ecological, and cultural difference.”

Arturo Escobar's website

http://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/144748.Vandana_Shiva

http://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/2953610

http://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/144748.Vandana_Shiva

http://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/4552955

http://www.unc.edu/~aescobar/



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5. Georgescu Roegen (Bio-economics): “….todas las veces que producimos un Cadillac lo hacemos al precio de

la disminución de vidas humanas en el futuro”. (Georgescu – Roegen 2003ª: 92; traducción de Giorgio Mosangini en “Decrecimiento y cooperación

internacional”, ECOLOGIA SOCIAL. 21-09.2007, p.5

..en última instancia, lo que entra en el proceso económico son recursos naturales preciosos y lo que sale residuos sin valor, “lo

que el proceso económico hace es transformar materia valiosa y energía en residuos”.

...”fundamenta su análisis sobre todo en la segunda ley de la termodinámica: ―la entropía de cualquier sistema cerrado aumenta

con el tiempo de manera irrevocable e irreversible‖. El considerar que la segunda ley de la termodinámica es un caso único en las

ciencias naturales, ya que su origen no es físico sino antropomórfico, nos ayuda a entender de manera más sencilla su segunda

ley, traduciéndola desde la perspectiva de las necesidades humanas. La energía existe bajo dos formas cualitativas: energía

disponible para la humanidad, que puede utilizar para sus exigencias (energía con alto nivel diferencial) y energía no disponible,

aquella que la humanidad no puede utilizar de ninguna manera (energía caóticamente disipada). La segunda ley de la

termodinámica, o ley de entropía, implica que la energía se degrada constante e irrevocablemente hacia un estado no disponible.

Así, lo que aumenta irremediablemente, la entropía, se entiende como la cantidad de energía no disponible existente. En definitiva,

la termodinámica ilustra la insostenibilidad ecológica de la economía neoclásica y de nuestro modelo de desarrollo, así como el

carácter ilusorio de un crecimiento ilimitado. Y llega incluso a formular una cuarta ley de la termodinámica: la materia disponible se

degrada sin interrupción e irreversiblemente en materia no disponible.

( From Bioeconomics Essays, 2007. http://www.terra.org/articulos/art02130.html

http://www.terra.org/articulos/art02130.html



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6. Serge Latouche; ―Growth today, is not a profitable business but only on the condition that the burden and the cost to

nature are passed on to future generations, the health of the consumers and the working conditions of the employees. This is why a

rupture is necessary. Everyone or almost everyone agrees with it, but none dares to take the plunge. All the modern regimes have

been ―productivist‖. ...all have set economic growth as an unquestionable objective. The absolutely necessary change is not, of

course, one of those, which a simple election could solve by putting in place a new government or by voting for another majority. .....

It is about quite as much a change of culture, as of the legal system and the relations of production.― Quotation by Serge Latouche in his

article on Degrowth-an electoral stake? in The International Journal of Inclusive Democracy, vol.3, no.1, (January 2007)

7.Giorgio Mosangini.”..la Huella Ecológica nos permite situar en los países del Norte la responsabilidad de la destrucción

creciente de la biosfera y la amenaza a su continuidad…para que fuera posible extender el modelo de consumo de un ciudadano

promedio de EEUU al conjunto de la población mundial se necesitarían 5,3 planetas …‖‖, ECOLOGIA SOCIAL. 21-09.2007, p.14

8. Cornerlius Cartoriadis: … ―en nuestras sociedades, quienes reclaman reformas políticas, económicas y sociales

radicales son inmediatamente descalificados como si se tratase de utopistas incorregibles, en cambio nuestros dirigentes políticos,

que en el mejor de los casos miran a dos años vista, a las próximas elecciones, se nos presentan como personas ecuánimes y

sensatas que tienen respuestas objetivas para los principales problemas. (Citado por Carlos Taibo Arias, en Introducción al decrecimiento,

publicado en CUIDES abril-2011, Nº6. Cuaderno interdisciplinar de desarrollo sostenible).



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9. Francois Partant ―…la crise doit dissiper les espoirs chimériques entretenus par le système, à savoir que, par l'enrichissement général, les

problèmes de société seraient résolus, alors que ces problèmes sont précisément générés par l'évolution du système lui-même. (From: François Partant, une pensée en marche,by François DE RAVIGNAN. http://www.revuejibrile.com/JIBRILE/PDF/FRANCOISPARTANT.pdf )

10: Others such:

a. Vincent Cheynet. http://www.ladecroissance.net/?chemin=accueil

b. Schneider http://lamarabunta.info/?page_id=188

c. Aryés: http://www.ecologistasenaccion.org/article13381.html

d. Clive Hamilton. http://www.clivehamilton.net.au/cms/

e.Richard Denniss https://www.tai.org.au/index.php?q=node%2F19&pubid=870&act=display

http://www.revuejibrile.com/JIBRILE/PDF/FRANCOISPARTANT.pdf

http://www.ladecroissance.net/?chemin=accueil

http://lamarabunta.info/?page_id=188

http://www.ecologistasenaccion.org/article13381.html

http://www.clivehamilton.net.au/cms/

https://www.tai.org.au/index.php?q=node%2F19&pubid=870&act=display



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ANNEX I

ALTERNATIVE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES FOR TRAINING

VIDEO FORUM -Teaching Guide:

Planned Obsolescence or the life cycle of a product and consumption growth.



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Facilitators’’ Notes

This annex is based on a video about ―Technical Planned obsolescence‖. You have to watch the video first and then, you

can select parts or stories that maybe motivate your group. Here there are some examples of planned obsolescence:

- We suggest you can break the whole story of Planned obsolescence in parts:

1. To show the visual consequences: Look for our electronic waste in the landscape in other countries.

2. The Bulb story. Show and point out the positive solutions to struggle with the planned obsolescence: legal, community.

3. Printing Story. The whole video is 20 min long.

Aims:

- Reflect on current consumption trends and its social and environmental impact

- To learn and to practice the process of Re- assessment, Re-conceptualization, Restructuring, Relocation, Redistribution, Reduce,

Reuse, Recycle (8 ―R‖, S. Latouche)

- To be more conscious of buying criteria in relation to trade responsibly and improve money expenditure in a more sustainable

manner.



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Video Presentation : Buy; Throw away and Buy (Comprar, tirar, comprar) (52 min.)

The documentary Comprar, tirar, comprar directed by the German Cosima Dannoritzer and produced by Media 3.14 and Article Z (in

coproduction with the Catalan regional television, TVE and Arte France), claims a common practice in the consumer society for nearly a

century: planned obsolescence, that is, deliberately cut the life of a product to increase consumption. Business is the fight against technology,

and ethics against capitalism. This is the farce of the world economy, based on a consumer society, it is almost impossible to escape, in which

the companies plan carefully the expiration of their products and hide their longer life. From the powerful lobby of the bulbs Phoebus cartel

which fixed fines for companies that fabricate filaments resistant (there is a mysterious light bulb was invented by the secret to the grave, which

has already given birth one hundred years continuously) up the dictatorship of printers that hide within it a "bad" chip that blocks to reach a

certain number of copies. And always be more "profitable" buy something new to fix.

The industrial design of this premise, it isn´t just to make the consumer buy the product, but create you to force the need for replacement soon.

If we look around us, we are surrounded by things we don´t need; devices with batteries that run out too soon or become obsolete in the blink of

an eye. Televisions, which have increased from plasma to LCD, the LED it and soon we will see grapheme, or what about mobile phones, cars

or clothes we wear. Everything goes out of style or become obsolete. But the voracious consumerism, this economic system that leads to ruin

not make us happier, it also has an expiration date, the mark the planet's natural resources. "Posterity will not forgive us, " cries a Ghanaian

activist in the film while teaching the illegal dumping of computers and other technological garbage called civilized world that pulls in your

country.

What changes are needed? Are you waiting for them or promoting them?

About consumption: Start today doing in a different way… Consider to exchange your abilities, resources or things Start growing your own food

Look for COMMUNITY BENEFITS First



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ACTIVITIES

Before watching the documentary ... Have you ever thought about the short life cycle of a product in relation to past years?

The following table shows the average length of each product's real and what should be (in each case specify the particular

product)

Nº Items Present lifespan Duration should have

1 Printers,

computers

2 Appliances

3 Mobile

4 Car (spare

parts, battery,

wheels ...)

5 Clothing,

footwear

6 Other



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A COMMITMENT TO A MORE RESPONSIBLE CONSUMPTION

¿Do you know what is responsible consumption?

For Responsible Consumption understand the choice of products and services not only based on their quality and price, but also for

its environmental and social impact, and the conduct of companies that develop, also means eating less, choosing to consume only

necessary, and being aware of how advertising influences us in creating unnecessary needs.

The social trends can sometimes cause a "mindless consumption. " Practicing responsible consumption begins with something as

simple as observing our daily consumption. Many times your own common sense suggests positive changes. It´s appropriate that

the consumer is critical and responsible, although consumption is only the final part of an action which the individual doesn´t know,

in many cases, the entire process, so you cannot discriminate between good and bad practices

A good consumer education and the obligation of transparency in information on products and services could help improve a very

aggressive dynamic demand-production-distribution-consumption.

Green Backpack (Schmitdt-Bleek, 1994), is the sum of all materials that have been necessary for the development of a

product throughout its life cycle (raw material extraction, transportation, production and disposal).



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FURTHER READING FOR REFLEXION

―If the land had to lose most of its beauty because of the damage

caused by unrestrained growth of wealth and population (...) then I

would like to sincerely, for the sake of posterity, we shall just stay in the

current conditions we are in, before we were obliged to stop by

necessity ―(J. Stuart Mill Principi di economia politica, Utet, Turín, 1979, pp. 748-751)



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‖The climate disorder that threatens us today is the result of our

"crazy" yesterday. On the contrary, the revolution involved transforming

an autonomous society of decrease can be represented by the

systematic and ambitious eight interdependent changes that reinforce

each other. Could summarize the whole in a "virtuous circle" in eight

"R" reassess, re_ conceptualize, restructure, redistribute, relocate,

reduce, reuse, recycle. These eight goals are interdependent and

generate a process of decline serene, friendly and sustainable‖ (S.

Latouche Pequeño tratado del decrecimiento sereno, Icaria editorial, 2009, pp. 45-46)



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WEB REFERENCES

Website information about responsible consumption and ecological footprint

http://www.dolceta.eu /

http://www.consumolocal.com

http://www.ecologistasenaccion.org /

http://consumosolidario.org/index.php

http://www.ideas.coop/

http://www.vidasostenible.org /

http://www.gloobal.net

http://www.cederron.org/

http://www.dolceta.eu/

http://www.consumolocal.com/

http://www.ecologistasenaccion.org/

http://consumosolidario.org/index.php

http://www.ideas.coop/

http://www.vidasostenible.org/

http://www.gloobal.net/

http://www.cederron.org/



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http://www.rtve.es/noticias/20110104/productos-consumo-duran-cada-vez-menos/392498.shtml

http://www.tormo.com/noticias/25371/Aumenta_el_interes_inversor_por_los_centros_comerciales.htm

http://www.invertia.com/noticias/articulo-final.asp?idNoticia=2425618

http://videotecaalternativa.net/2011/01/10/comprar-tirar-comprar-la-historia-secreta-de-la-obsolescencia-programada/

http://videotecaalternativa.net/2011/01/04/centros-comerciales-los-templos-del-consumo/

Web E-CONS Comenius 3: http://www.e-cons.net Sócrates Agency http://ec.europa.eu/education/programmes/socrates/nat-est_en.html School Data base Base http://www.e-cons.net/tools/cast/base_centros_cast.php UE Consument education Systems http://www.e-cons.net/tools/cast/educ_cons_cast.htm Consumer education at the classroom http://www.e-cons.net/tools/cast/mat_did_cast_past.htm Data base on UE funded experiences and European Institutions (COMENIUS 1.1) http://www.e-cons.net/tools/experiencias/base_experiencias_index.php?idioma=ES Didactic Educational materials Data base http://www.e-cons.net/tools/cast/base_material_didact_cast_index.htm UE data base on education for consumer http://www.e-cons.net/tools/cast/base_institut_europ_cast_index.htm Educational Centres looking for new partners http://www.e-cons.net/pdf_centrosnuevsocios/cast/

http://www.rtve.es/noticias/20110104/productos-consumo-duran-cada-vez-menos/392498.shtml

http://www.tormo.com/noticias/25371/Aumenta_el_interes_inversor_por_los_centros_comerciales.htm

http://www.invertia.com/noticias/articulo-final.asp?idNoticia=2425618

http://videotecaalternativa.net/2011/01/10/comprar-tirar-comprar-la-historia-secreta-de-la-obsolescencia-programada/

http://videotecaalternativa.net/2011/01/04/centros-comerciales-los-templos-del-consumo/



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proj_cent_nuevsoc_cast_index.htm Imagine a sustainable future ( Songs, poems, drawings, comics, marketing messages ; a creative ways to get a better education for the future consumer…… IF ) http://www.e-cons.net/imagina/cast/imagina_cast_ppal.htm Meetings http://www.e-cons.net/news/news_cast.htm Working groups http://www.e-cons.net/proyecto/cast/proy_wg_cast.htm News http://www.e-cons.net/convocatorias/convocat_cast.htm

BEFORE ENDING re-thinking the future and sustainability check:

- 1. www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/videos

- 2. www.nuffieldfoundation.org/stem

http://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/videos

http://www.nuffieldfoundation.org/stem



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ABOUT THE AUTHORS:

Spanish Team:

Eva Vásquez García

German Carrillo Garcia

Carmen M. Cerdá Mondéjar

José Manuel Vidal Gil

Virgina Pina Mignorance

Rita Griesche

Marian Angeles Sánchez Peñalver.

Juan Diego López Giraldo. (www.vita21.eu )

With special thanks always to Roberta Richiero and ENGIM http://piemonte.engim.it and all other SUNDIAL partners from

United Kingdom, Sweden and Finland.

o MURCIA, November 2009- June 2011.

http://www.vita21.eu/

http://piemonte.engim.it/

Documents

Sundial Training Module (Spain) Education for Sustainable ...….The Financial revolution: …..‖Private banks lend more money than they actually have, so they create money based