No a consumption

[ramseames]

is this the bot trying to make a no cop thread

[vgtbls]

I'll hop on here to talk a little about consuming less in general! Like veganarchism but for your whole entire life.

A commonly used equation for environmental impact is IPAT. Influence = Population x Affluence x Technology.

In the case of the USA, we have all three in pretty high proportions. It's pretty simplified because population, affluence and technology are all interlinked, but it's a good starting block.

My challenge to you guys: stop using plastic shopping bags! They're made of polyethylene. They can be recycled, right? Well, not so much. The problem with polyethylene is that the melting point is below the temperature of sterilization! They can be sterilized through radiation, but this is often way too expensive. People tend to just throw them out. Environmental activists have estimated that between 500 billion and 1 trillion plastic bags are used worldwide every year. Chuck a tote bag in your backpack, stick a few in your car. You'll get the benefit of not squandering hydrocarbon resources, and you get to feel really smug and "with it".