I actually think that “marketing” is the frontier for sustainability.
Activism, campaigning and political lobbying are all necessary. However “sustainability” and its features and benefits needs to be sold to the masses.
When one looks at the history of the consumerist society. One can observe the connections between a huge number of environmental and social issues. (www.storyofstuff.com) “Consumerism” probably started in earnest post World war II, to keep the manufacturing industries churning when the demands of war were quenched by a couple of atomic bombs.
In order to create a more sustainable and just world, I believe we need to counter and reverse the messages of “consumerism” and actually educate consumers of the benefits of sustainability and the consequences of rampant consumption.
Concurrently, we need to sell the message to retailers, suppliers & manufacturers to consider the market advantages of selling, supplying and producing products & services that meet the needs of the current generation witout COMPROMISING the ability of future generations (or developing communities) to meet their needs.
19 July, 2009
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Great idea, in theory. However, because only a minority of businesses are driven by ideals and most are only profit driven, the impetus needs to come from the consumer. Consumer ethics drive the market - businesses sell whatever they can. So it is the consumer whose ethics are relected in the market. It will never come from the top down, except to a limited degree.
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