Old:Frugalism

We can still have nice things, we just don't need to replace them so often.

In developed countries, the average person could stand to reduce the amount of things they buy and throw out. This is what's meant by "reduce" in "reduce, reuse, recycle" - and it often gets overlooked.

Extent

More than half of all manufacturing could be avoided if:

• People voluntarily bought fewer things
• People used each others' second-hand goods more often
• Planned obsolescence was abolished

Examples

This section has not been filled in yet.

Actions to take

This section has not been filled in yet.

People who don't need to consume less

Most of the world is already poor and shouldn't be told to consume less. This page is more directed at developed countries.

The "examples" section is not filled out yet, but when it is, you'll what level of frugalism this page is about; you'll see whether you're already frugal enough or not.

Rationale

If rich & middle-class people consumed less, the world would benefit in two ways:

• Environmental
  • Reduce energy demand
    • Since most energy comes from fossil fuels, consuming less is essential to fighting climate change.
    • Manufacturing is a major part of energy demand. So is transporting the goods. This vastly outweighs the electricity you use in your home.
    • Over 50% of carbon emissions are due to the richest 10% of the world; if you're middle-class in a developed country, you are part of that 10%.
• Humanitarian
  • Goods are labor-intensive and are manufactured in sweatshops
    • Even when workers are treated okay, they are still overworked. If we want a world where people can work less (shortening the work week, having more time for friends & family), the first thing we need to do is reduce the total amount of labor per capita that it takes to sustain a good quality of life.