S-Tiles - concetto

THE CONCEPT

It has been estimated that if the rest of the world were to consume like the developed world, we would need the equivalent of four extra Earths.

Sustainable Consumption (SC) is about finding workable solutions to imbalances – social and environmental – through more responsible behaviour by everyone. In particular, SC is linked to the production, distribution, use and disposal of products and services and provides the means to rethink their lifecycle. The aim is to ensure that the basic needs of the entire global community are met, excess is reduced and environmental damage avoided.

SC is part of sustainable development, whose most widely accepted definition today is “development which meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”

One way of looking at SC issues is through the ‘Factor 4’ and ‘Factor 10’ approaches. According to Factor 4 theory, we should be able to live twice as well and yet, use half as much of our precious resources in the coming decades. For developed countries the task is even more difficult: we should work towards a tenfold improvement (Factor 10) in resource productivity by 2050. Production and consumption patterns must become more efficient (by 4 then 10 times) if we want lasting and more equal access to resources for everybody.