Human Resource consumption is growing and if things don’t change, we will require the equivalent of 3 Earths to meet our global consumption needs by 2050.

With each phone upgrade and technological advance that makes our lives better, the more resources we need. Then, we need to understand that Resource Consumption isn’t just about the physical resources, like food and water, it’s also concerned with energy.

We simply can’t rely on unsustainable natural resources to fuel our world. We need to be smarter than that. 

But how do we move forward and advance civilization while decreasing our resource consumption?

Well, it’s not a simple problem with a simple solution. However, there are some key things you can do to make a difference. 

In this article, we help you understand what resource consumption really means, how it is measured and why the UK needs to halve resource consumption. Then we have a look at how you can reduce resource consumption at home as well as globally.

What is Resource Consumption in the World?

Resource consumption includes water, energy, oil, and any other natural or unnatural resource that a population is using. Some resources that we don’t often think of as “resources” include land (and how we utilise it), forests and even air space.

The big three resources we are concerned about are:

• Water consumption
• Electric/energy consumption
• Natural material consumption

Reliance on fossil fuels as resources is particularly concerning when it comes to carbon emissions.

Overconsumption is when we are using more resources than is sustainable. Some resources are inevitably leading to overconsumption, as we have a finite supply (e.g. oil). Other resources could lead to overconsumption but can also be sustainable, depending on how they are managed (e.g. wood/deforestation).

When there’s so much overconsumption that the consumption rate exceeds the resources available, this is called the resource curse. 

That’s why responsible consumption is so important. On a global scale, overconsumption will lead not just to environmental degradation, but also have a catastrophic impact on human life and civilization. Ensuring our resource consumption relies on consuming resources that are renewable is essential.

How We Measure Consumption Per Capita

Resource efficiency

Resource efficiency is about using the Earth’s sustainable and renewable resources while reducing our environmental impact. The more resource-efficient we are, the better.

To determine our resource efficiency, we measure something called resource intensity. Resource intensity looks at all the resources used to create, use, process and discard a product.

A basic example would be a games console. The resources used include: the plastic and metal components that physically make up the product, the resources used to create those materials, and the energy needed to put them together. Then you need to look at the resources needed to package it, transport it, and market it. Once it’s purchased, there are the resources needed to power it (this is where you can make a difference as an individual – see renewable energy sources below).

Once the games console is broken or no longer needed, you need to calculate the resources used to dispose of it. This could be more energy to recycle it, or just land space used to put it into landfill.

Once you know the resources used, you can calculate how efficient it is. If the item or service uses a lot of resources but you get very little out of the product, then it has a high resource intensity (which often translates to a high environmental cost).

Resource Productivity

Just to make things a little more confusing, there’s also something called resource productivity. This measures the relationship between economic activity (as a unit of GDP) and consumption of material resources (domestic material consumption DMC).

The problem here is that it’s not just material resources that go into creating a product. Energy and electric consumption is a huge resource that we cannot continue to overconsume.

That’s why you should always dig a little deeper when looking at resource consumption statistics, like the ones below. Understanding the terminology enables you to get a better idea of what is genuinely making a positive impact.

The UK Needs to Halve Resource Consumption

Here are some resource consumption statistics for you:

The UK can provide 1.1 biocapacity of resources per person. Currently, each person is using 4.2 in resources. So the ecological deficit is -3.1.

That’s a shocking statistic, but it’s hard to get your head around. A much easier to understand statistic is this:

Humans use as much ecological resources as if we lived on 1.7 Earths. 

If things don’t change, we will require 3 Earths to meet our global consumption needs by 2050.

But what can you do about it? So far, we’ve thrown a lot of information at you that’s pretty useless (there’s no denying it). As an individual, how can you stop deforestation? How can you make a country stop drilling for oil?

You can’t.

That’s why resource consumption is primarily something that policy makers and governments need to work out. This is particularly important as the UK needs to halve resource consumption.

The Circular Economy Task Force released a report as part of Green Alliance, a charity (so not influenced by corporations), that outlines why. They point out that the government focuses on policies that make them look good. For example, 5p plastic bag charges and microbeads. But actually, these solutions aren’t doing anything unless you tackle the root of the problem: overconsumption.

But that doesn’t mean you can leave it all up to the government to change!

In fact, there are many things you can do at home to make a difference. As a consumer, you can use your power (AKA, your money) to show companies and governments that you are willing and ready to choose the sustainable path.

Ways to Reduce Resource Consumption at Home

Let’s kick things off with some small product switches and behaviour changes that can make a difference, before moving on to the larger changes that can really turn things around by making a huge change.

As we explain in our article about sustainable consumption choices, some areas have a bigger environmental impact than others and it’s important to prioritise our sustainable efforts towards these important areas. We recommend you to read the full article, but as you can imagine, sustainable housing (including resource consumption) is one of these.

And if you want to learn more about how to make the biggest impact, read the section on weak and strong sustainable consumption in our definitive guide.

Daily Actions (Start Now!)

These are things that you can change instantly, like behaviours and habits, and small purchases that won’t break your monthly budget.

• Switch to eco-friendly lighting, indoors and outdoors. LED bulbs are the most eco and can last 20x the life of an incandescent bulb.
• Unplug idle electronics when they aren’t in use. With the exception of your fridge, almost every appliance can be switched off at the plug overnight.
• Turn off the b****y lights! Yes, dad was right to moan when you left them on. Turning off lights that aren’t in use is one of the easiest ways to reduce the trickle of energy consumption.
• Get energy efficient appliances such as an energy efficient fridge or an energy efficient TV.
• Shorter, colder showers are definitely a good idea. Reduce water waste and energy.
• Try a solar powered phone charger. This is a cool idea that’s a few steps down from installing household solar panels.
• Block chills with thermal lined curtains and draught excluders, so you can use your household heating more efficiently.
• Boost biodiversity in your garden through bird boxes, insect hotels, and growing native plants – this is the other way to reduce your carbon footprint.
• Grow some vegetables (or at least try some herbs on the windowsill) to reduce reliance on supermarkets while reducing food miles and packaging waste.
• Insulating your roof is one of the easiest ways to insulate your home in Britain (which is why it’s on our short term list rather than our long term list). A quarter of the heat in your home is lost through the roof, according to the Centre for Sustainable Energy.

Long Term Goals (Add to Your To-Do List)

These are long term goals, so don’t beat yourself up if they won’t be achieved for years (or even decades). Whether you go DIY or plan to hire a construction company, many of these switches are costly upfront but will save you money as well as resources in the long run.

This is one area where we need policy makers to step in. Government grants and encouragement is needed to enable the average homeowner to really harness resource utilisation.

• Draw power from renewable energy sources and/or install solar panels
• Build a self-sufficient water source on your own property, e.g. spring water or well water.
• Choose a self-sufficient drainage system, e.g. a septic tank or soak-away system. These can be connected with multiple houses, if you want to spread the cost and responsibility.
• Wall insulation is simple and makes a big difference. Read our article on sustainable building materials to find other ways to remodel your home in an eco fashion.
• Double/triple glazed windows lock in heat and keep your home quiet too.
• Smart devices connect and monitor resource consumption without endless tweaking and adjusting. Your fridge, thermostat, car, locks, etc. All these smart devices can work together to find the most energy efficient way to operate. Integrating them into your home is costly, however.
• Consider air source heat pumps to heat your home and water for daily use.

Consuming Resources Needs to Become Eco

Hopefully, we’ve given you a nudge in the right direction when it comes to reducing resource consumption in your own home. Every purchase you make and unit of resources you consume makes a difference – whether it’s a positive or negative difference really comes down to you!

To help you consume responsibly, check out all our guides and helpful articles at beeco.

The post Resource Consumption – All You Need to Know appeared first on beeco.