Oversized Consumption and Waste

The wasteful production and consumption of oversized houses, cars, meals, services... have created oversized headaches for society and the world.

The big roomy house requiring comfortable transportation to and from the suburbs is a prime example of things gone wrong in our social development.

There is an increase in life stresses to earn money to obtain products and services that are more than we comfortably need. There is also waste and the environment to consider. As concern about nature and our social well-being are becoming more topical each year, many of us are beginning to realize that this frantic consumer anxiety needs to be reigned in.

The international financial and crises and environmental considerations have many thinking smaller.

There are those huge meals that we get in restaurants that we cannot finish and what remains is garbaged, or they are unhealthy if we do manage to cram them down.

Downsizing our cars finally appears to be in our future but strong corporate marketing continues to persuade otherwise.

Now the scaling down of the consumer's most costly purchase, the upscale home, may be in line for a reduction in size and cost. Yet with so many making money in this business and with their encouragement to 'Own The Luxury Home You Deserve', change will be difficult indeed. But in many areas homes have dramatically doubled or tripled in size in several decades and this recklessness simply cannot continue.

While a larger house might display status and success, real or borrowed, there is a heavy cost in resources, both natural and personal. Besides the higher original financial cost there are greater expenditures on taxes, heating, maintenance and repair. Big houses cost big!

There is so much to be said for reversing the more is better trend in acquiring material possessions as it is such a strain on society and nature. But will the corporations allow it?

There is the corporate need to increase business profits and to use strong advertising to accomplish the task. And so many consumers are now addicted to acquiring status; impressing friends, neighbors and anyone else who might be look, admire or envy.

A difficult problem: which corporations will relinquish sales and profits for the good of citizens and Mother Nature?

Overly consuming citizens really need to reconsider their true values in life and increase their interest in the environment, the world as a whole, and their own well being. And government needs to do the job that governments are supposed to do - make life better for their citizens.

So now and again let's review what is important in life, like stress free living with simple but fun, relaxed lifestyles. A simple home containing a contented loving family does not have to be a tale of past times.