Overconsumption or Overpopulation Which Is the Bigger of...

Global and Regional Sustainability Over-population or Overconsumption: Which is the bigger of two vices to the progress of sustainability today? In the age, where the collective value of goods and commodities, the strength of economic markets and the accumulated wealth of individuals dictate the ease of life and the standards of living within society; it is imperative that we as a species reiterate to ourselves that the natural resources that enable us to fulfil all our basic needs, fashion all our desirable wants; and provisions the framework on which we build our cities, economies and daily lives remains limited and finite (McMahon, 2001 ; Millennium Ecosystem Assessment Board, 2005). The finality of such finite resources demands†¦show more content†¦Comparatively, over-consumption refers to the anthropocentric notion and practice of â€Å"ownership† as well as indiscriminate use of natural resources and the environment for personal benefit and gain; without due regard and concern for the availability of such basic resources and natural services to remain viable in the future as well as for others who may h ave less access to them (Butler, 1994; Goodland amp; Daly, 1998). Over-consumption can be seen to be directly entrenched within the umbrellas of economic and personal wealth as the means to securing the availability of necessacities and resources (Fine et. Al, 1996). Brown amp; Cameron (2000) and Princen (1999) concur that the human-centred notion of priority through purchasability fosters the continued practice of unfair and unsustainable practices; whilst concurrently promoting wastage and disconnectedness between societies and the natural environment. The accelerated rate of natural resources utilised globally, noted against only the slightest marginal increase in economic development witnessed within the developing and underdeveloped regions; suggests that the majority of these key resources are being exploited for the further economic benefit of the developed regions by sheer means of their ability to purchase them from these less developed regions, thus limiting the availabili ty of these resources for