The True Cost of Consumer
Lifestyles
Jillian Cupitt and Syd Smith
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How can schools, usually
influenced by political forces be
given the freedom to challenge
the unsustainable policies of
industry, government and others
to adopt more innovative
sustainable marketing and
production strategies?
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We need to rethink the ways
environmental messages and
environmental product choice are
put across.
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Use the same advertising
techniques that have been
employed to have us all wanting
the normal, nice house, car and
lifestyle in a fossil fuel based
economy. Make environmental
products more visually pleasing,
affordable and popular and use
celebrity endorsement.
- Victor Lebow, 1955
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From Thailand to Brazil to Eastern Europe, the
number of cars on the road-and the actual number
of roads-is growing rapidly.
In 1996, more new cars were sold in Asia than in
Western Europe and North America combined.
In Mexico, from 1960 to 1990 the auto fleet
increased by over 1,000 percent.
Since the mid-1980s, China's fleet of motor vehicles
has grown by more than 10 percent a year.
Government projections are for 22 million cars in
China by 2010, and an even larger number of trucks
and farm vehicles.
•Young Australians are just as likely to struggle with their
individual responsibility for sustainable consumption. Their
actions do not always reflect their concerns, however.
•Internationally there is a trend towards turning that
concern into action. Germany’s Federation of Consumer
Organisations began a project in 2003 aimed at educating
young people about sustainable consumption techniques.
•This has evolved into a partnership with organisations
like the United Nations Environment Program and
Consumers International to produce a website to
encourage global discussion on the topic by young
people. YouthXchange is now a web-based training kit
promoting responsible consumption.
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Over-consumption is a global
problem that deserves as much
media attention as climate change
is receiving right now.
To deal with this problem effectively
however, it challenges the very
basis on which western societies
are grounded i.e. economic growth
and affluence.
The Market economy.
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• Climate Change and associated impacts
• Achieve sustainability in the true sense of
the word
• Establish a just and equitable world for all
• Requires on the part of the individual,
communities and governments to accept
the cold hard facts of how goods and
services are sourced, developed, used and
discarded.
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• Life cycle of products –
cradle to grave
• Cradle to cradle
• Mapping energy
inputs, acquisition &
manufacture of
resources
• Assists students to see
and understand the
hidden and unreported
social and
environmental impacts
of the products we
purchase.
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&
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Advertising and marketing
ploys play a significant role
in shaping our consumer
habits.
Consumer Affairs Victoria’s
research shows young
consumers represent a $4
billion a year commercial
market in Australia.
Children have a direct
influence over their parents’
spending, around 75% of
household purchases.
Australian study conducted by the Kondinin
Group (2004) on school children across
Australia showed an astounding lack of
awareness of how the products and
resources we consume are actually
produced.
1 in 5 knew that leather came from cattle.
1 in 3 that cotton came from a plant.
Almost half didn’t think that the food they ate
for dinner came from a farm.
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Consumption of resources
directly relates to
greenhouse gas emissions
History - since beginning of
industrial era:
CO2 has 35% and
continue to rise approx.
0.4% per year
NO2 has 17%
Methane has more than
doubled
Fossil fuels that produce
the greenhouse gas fill 85%
of our energy requirements.
Collectively, worldwide we
produce around 23.5
gigatonnes of CO2 per
year.
A trillion kilograms = one
gigatonne.
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Absorb much of the CO2,
up to half.
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Oceans are the largest
carbon sinks, absorbing
more than ¼ of our CO2
emissions
Forests and plants, less
than a ¼
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Interesting to note: oceans
hold 50 times the amount of
CO2 in the atmosphere and
10 times that in the land
biosphere.
No one is sure just how
much more they can hold
without becoming too acidic
for marine organisms. Great
Barrier Reef
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• Australia has the highest per capita number of
extinct and threatened species in the world.
• We lead the world in recent mammal extinctions.
Half of Australia's marsupials and 30% of our native
rodents have become extinct or had their
distributions drastically reduced in the last 220
years. Some animals can be found in less than 1%
of the area they occupied just 220 years ago.
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Ocean chemistry
Water Quality Testing
Catchment Management Science
Biodiversity
Taught in integrated, holistic approach
Prominent, strong place in the curriculum
Collaboration with a host of Government
agencies – CSIRO, Sydney Water, Australian
Dept of water Heritage & the Arts etc
• Potential for a catchment community working
in an integrated, authentic purpose to
produce authentic outcomes. End result
would be cooperative, holistic basis with
schools to procure data and set directions for
their local area.
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• Directly deals with our impact on our
environment resulting from our
consumer habits:
• Litter, household waste, stormwater,
development and infrastrucure etc
• Allows for the delivery of teaching and
learning outcomes in a real and
relevant context.
• Must include action to be valued and
authentic.
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Students understanding
and participating in the
democratic process
Promote advocacy and
actively engage students in
contributing to the health
and well-being of their
communities.
Leads to feelings of
empowerment, stronger
sense of place, belonging
and a purpose for living
Teachers must be more
supported
Some students sitting in our
high schools are old
enough to vote and have
had limited experience in
understanding the political
arena. Civics and
Citizenship Curriculum
ACER
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• Raises questions of social and environmental costs
• Provides avenues to exercise critical thinking,
particularly when examining marketing and
advertising
• Imperative to teach students that all life on earth
depends on the energy from the sun and is the
basis of our food chains, food webs and is an
integral mechanism for our water cycle, carbon
cycle or cycles in nature
• Tracking the life cycle of coal and oil in particular,
illustrates our dependency on fossil fuels, the
products they make and the imminent social,
environmental, economic and political pressures
humanity will face
PROGRESS & DEVELOPMENT
De Walt (1988) explains that:
‘Growth, and social values
which underpin it (the profit
motive, materialism and the
enterprise culture), lie at the
very heart of global
inequality and environmental
problems.
The older wiser
environmental movement
understands…that the planet
cannot be saved by a
voluntary change of lifestyle
on the part of individuals, but
only through collective action
changing laws and economic
rules to change people’s
perceptions of their short
term interest.” (For a planet
in peril the future must start
in Johannesburg 2002)
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Consumers need:
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To believe and understand
the underlying purpose of
the change.
Positive encouragement &
feedback to show what they
are doing is worthwhile.
To know what actions they
need to take.
Evidence and role models.
Mahatma Ghandi – “Earth
provides enough for every
man’s need but not every
man’s greed
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“Education in Australia is
distinguished by an abundance
of uplifting rhetoric and a
dearth of comparable action.”
(Aitken 2008)
Collaborative, compassionate,
inspiring, creative and
functions with integrity –
empowerment for all
Not one that is competitive,
divisive and to the exclusion of
some
Common focus should be on:
Awareness
Attitude
Action
Achievement
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Environmental pests or protectors?
Scuba divers as change agents
Context…setting the scene
Hazel Storey,
AAEE executive member and scuba diver
22/08/2008
What’s a dive holiday about?
“They tell us they are interested
in our remote island / beach
location, lack of commercial
fishing, small group sizes & yes
the warm clean water, our
dugong and sharks.”(Cocos
Island Dive)
“The treat of experiencing
another world…its both
humbling and a special privilege
too, as a human, to experience
the underwater world” (me)
What about this study group?
Mostly “old hands”
Members of 2 Sydney based
scuba diving clubs
Very experienced technical
divers to occasional divers
Reef Teach (Great Barrier
Reef)
Dive holiday operator Dive
Adventures
Project Aware
Dive resort operators in PNG,
Cocos and Christmas Islands,
Borneo (places I have been)
“Divers are, on average, very
environmentally focussed…… diving
really is a perfect way to see the world”
(Jerry, Dive Adventures.
Major Australian Dive Holiday operator)
Context
International Year of the Reef – reefs under pressure- over-fishing, deforestation and
climate change
For this paper we’re looking at increased……
Popularity (diver #s) of scuba diving globally
Damage to reefs globally
Diver’s expectations
Improved access to dive locations & lowering of holiday costs
Diver-focused education providers & ecology/sustainability growing
Survey group predominantly experienced, well-traveled male
So………..do this study group care?
Do they make any systemic connections between their habits at home and the
impacts where they holiday?
What expectations do they have of dive operators?
Decision-making: How do divers decide
where to go?
Main expectations…
Do they follow others or self-direct?
I tend to dismiss brochures until I’ve
spoken to someone whos been
there (DCD)
I prefer to know that they are putting
something back into the community
and the environment but I have to take
the word of the operator on it. (SS)
I usually rely on recommendations
from fellow divers (SS)
I never ask, I assume – or hope that
they are doing the right thing. (MG)
I research the location on the net,
away from the destination or travel
agent sites, looking for feedback
posted by people who have been
there (BH)
Expected standards of environmental and/or
social behaviour?
Twice as many expected sustainability management to
be in place as didn’t.
Few are aware of accreditation /branding. Others are
skeptical of accreditation….
So how do they assess that their
expectations are in place?
I expect good environmental standards, good local social
standards, no local trouble (GD)
Any mention of Project Aware gets my attention, along with
general values and practices statements to indicate what is
important to them (BH)
I tend to be wary of high profile 'projects' such as PADI's as I
think they are primarily a marketing tool to make money with.
(AD)
Responsible and sustainable attitude to dive sites. Not
allowing people to dive sites too often (DCD)
So have divers expectations changed
over time?
“Yes. In the last 5-10 years…..
higher expectations…. expect the
reef to be a lot more colourful….
to walk into the ocean from
Cairns and see everything at
once” (Reef Teach)
“Yes – a lot…much, much more
aware of the environment than 20
years ago …”(Project Aware)
“No, I don't think we have seen a
change in expectations. People
still want to see big stuff, just like
years ago”. (Lissenung Island,
PNG)
Boat management
“Tidy” dive sites
Responsible anchorage
Oil management
Community responsibility
If I saw an operator dumping oil in the
water I certainly wouldn’t be pleased,
or saw him dumping rubbish I wouldn’t
be pleased. (AT)
What do operators say about meeting
environmental and social expectations
I always encourage visitors to travel on an eco-certified tour
vessel to promote sustainable tourism. I also support
operators that give back to local research projects and
conservational organizations” (Reef Teach)
Our guests know that by having the PADI Project AWARE’s
Go Eco operators status, we are committed to abide by
their standards. Guests are assured that we aim to be as
environmental friendly as possible…conducting our diving
business with the least possible impact on nature.
(Lissenung, PNG)
Frankly, its rather a rare question…I’m not aware of any
such credentials that would be required, that would change
our practices or who we deal with.” (Dive Adventures)
How could divers check standards and
practices before they book a trip?
Ask tourism operators, peers/friends /websites….about
Ecotourism principles and /or accreditation
Ask about their support /working with local community members
and/or social / environmental actions
Ask about local codes of ethics or environmental and safety
levies e.g. “The Papua New Guinea Divers Association is
committed to the representation of Members in the ongoing
development of a sustainable, conservation-oriented, wellmarketed, self regulated and best-practice based successful dive
industry in Papua New Guinea” http://www.pngdive.com/about.html
Then they are also
direction…….
“pushing” the operators in the right
Support networks and training…just some
The “Coral Triangle Initiative (CTI)”
The Coral Reef Alliance (CORAL), Project AWARE,
WWF, International Year of Reef….
Project Aware…
• Coral Reefs, Fisheries, and Food
Eco operator guidelines and branding
Technical guides – e.g. “respect our wrecks”
Integration of sustainability considerations to diver training – updated
each review of PADI diver training materials
Ocean Clean Up Days with local communities
“Each of us as a PADI instructor or assistant instructor
has learned the goals, standards and marketing of Project
AWARE during our AI training. How many of us put this
knowledge into practice? It is imperative that we use
our training and individual creativity to build
collaborative relationships in order to address local
ecological concerns whenever the opportunity arisesbefore such an opportunity becomes a necessity, or even
worse, an impossibility. We as dive professionals owe
this duty to ourselves, our students, and of course
our “office”- the underwater world”. Thomas Ryan West, Sipidan
Security
• Endorsed APEC 2007
• 21 world leaders endorsed a new
proposal to safeguard the rich
marine resources of the Indo-Pacific
region for future generations.
•
Six governments in a multilateral
partnership to conserve the
extraordinary marine life in the
region.
Scuba (Borneo)
Meanwhile…behind the scenes for the
operators….
And then there’s the day to day matters..
So - how can dive operators live up to
such expectations?
Factory fishing/over-fishing v local business?
Do they see the benefits of sustainable tourism?
YES
Do dive tourists have a responsibility to push for it?
YES
Can operators find out where to improve their
business practices YES
Can operators and divers overcome the major
challenge they all identified????
Responsibilities and awareness
Opportunities for supporting the experienced diver market
to influence change…
Does this small study group see themselves as change
agents?
Divers:
• Decision-making about day to day lifestyle and food
choices
• Offsetting travel
• Ensuring spend time on local community support
programs
Operators:
• Responsible tourism, peer to peer learning, following
sustainable tourism guidelines
Major opportunity for good dive operators to blow their own trumpets advertise the positives for environmental/social outcomes.
e.g.“Steps to sustainable tourism” Australian Government Department Environment and Heritage and Tourism and
Transport Forum, PADI Go-Eco, One Ocean Alliance, Coral Reef Alliance
Plus…influence them through…
Use the assessment systems that are out there-probe
the operators rather than dismiss them if you are
sceptical about practices.
Trusted sources /networks – dive magazines, peer
learning (dive club talks, modeled behaviours, and ‘pub
talk’
Encourage dive magazines like Dive Log to cover the
issues regularly
Divers to encourage the operators positive behaviours
when on holiday – and question poor practices – we are
all learning all the time…
What else…..their own day to day habits – just like
us….purchasing, driving, talking, investing….
Thanks for all the input, experiences and
inspiration…..
Angie, Nozaki, Delsie and staff at
Lissenung Dive, Kavieng, PNG. Karen &
Dieter at Cocos Dive, Cocos and Keeling
Islands, Nick at Christmas Island Divers.
And Kapilai, Borneo
Jerry at Dive Adventures, Chrystal
Mantyka at Reef Teach, Cairns, and
Mike Holme, Director Training and QM at
PADI and Associate Director of Project
AWARE
Members of Sydney Dive Clubs for
personal input, Sarina (Lee Ford), Dave
Coulthard, David Chillari, Geoff Cooke,
Bram Harris, David Casburn, Michael
Wright, Max Gleeson, Peter Flockart,
Gary Dunning….. and the rest..
The sites for providing glorious photos
And Andreas for sharing the experience
of these fantastic places!
Question : What value are environmental and social ratings to you?
“Ratings are very important if they can be validated by independent
comments”
“I’m not familiar with ratings – but If I saw some information about
how the resort behaves I would know what to expect about their
behaviour (eg 5 * would do the right thing about their water use,
disposing of rubbish etc)”
“Value may increase as you have now brought them to my attention”
“Important because it implies at least that they are not just lining
their own pockets. If they seem to have a high ethical standard,
chances are they will run a fair operation.”
Your take home actions for the ocean and
International Year of the Reef!
FOOD
Think hard about the fish you eat – so you are not taking out the
species at the top of the food chain
Say NO – to flake (shark), perch, tuna. Over-fished and for example,
it takes approximately 10,000 kilograms of sardines to produce one
kilogram of farm-raised tuna
See Australian Sustainable Seafood Guide for more
www.amcs.org.au
ADVOCACY
Sign the petition for Reef Check as part of the International Year
http://reefcheck.org/petition/petition.php
SCUBA DIVING?
Look out for accredited programs and ASK
THANK YOU
Hazel Storey, AAEE 2008
Helping me try to leave only bubbles……and
temporary footprints…
hzlstorey@yahoo.com.au
Catchments Corridors & Coasts
Community interaction with
sustainability initiatives
CCC is an initiative of the WA Chapter of AAEE, sponsored by:
Overview
• What is Catchments Corridors &
Coasts (CCC)?
• A team effort
• Program objectives
• Partnership model
• Co-ordination considerations
• Evaluation
• Co-ordinating team reflections
• Conclusion
CCC is an initiative of the WA Chapter of AAEE, sponsored by:
What is CCC?
• A three day introduction to
environmental education for
sustainability around the Perth Region
• Co-ordinated by a team of volunteers
from AAEE (WA), supported by
sponsors
• Targeted at a broad audience including
teachers, local & State government
officers, students, and community
members.
CCC is an initiative of the WA Chapter of AAEE, sponsored by:
A Team Effort = Communal Ownership
CCC is co-ordinated by:
Dr Jennifer Pearson (Edith Cowan University),
Amy Krupa(SERCUL),
Dr Catherine Baudains (Murdoch University),
Michael Burke (Department of Fisheries), &
Wayne Walters (Perth Zoo).
CCC is an initiative of the WA Chapter of AAEE, sponsored by:
CCC program objectives
• provide a ‘snapshot’ of EE in WA from
catchments, through corridors to the
coast
• provide a rich experience
• facilitate development of networks/links
with and between practitioners
• develop skills & knowledge and facilitate
participation in EE
• develop awareness/knowledge/
understanding of the resources and
support available to help address core
environmental and sustainability issues
in the State
CCC is an initiative of the WA Chapter of AAEE, sponsored by:
Snapshot of EE in WA
• Very full schedule
• Traveled together from the upper
catchment right through to the coast
• Run over 3 days only (longer is too great
a time commitment for professionals)
• Consecutive days, to allow team
building, ease of scheduling, and
connectivity of experience through the
issues and environments
CCC is an initiative of the WA Chapter of AAEE, sponsored by:
Skills, Knowledge & Participation
• Skill development was embedded into all
sessions:
– Presenters were asked to link to
curriculum. Assistance was offered if
needed;
– Sessions were practical or incorporated a
practical component;
– presenters were asked to provide take
away resources such as proforma,
instructions or work-shopped notes
CCC is an initiative of the WA Chapter of AAEE, sponsored by:
Skills, Knowledge & Participation
• A range of issues are covered through
the program including:
– waste management
– salinity, farming, landcare, NRM & catchment
management
– local government bushcare
– biodiversity & wildlife conservation
– river & waterways issues
– water conservation & management
– indigenous heritage
– Permaculture, greywater re-use
– fisheries & coastal management
– Sustainable Schools Initiative
CCC is an initiative of the WA Chapter of AAEE, sponsored by:
Partnership model
• Encourages participation of EE providers
through entire network, supporting &
promoting all efforts
• Emphasises the importance of flexibility
& compromise (ie presenters must be
willing to come to another venue, or host
other presenters at their venue to
maximise coverage and minimise travel)
• Allows the opportunity to reflect
synergies between the various
practitioners (we do not work in a silo)
CCC is an initiative of the WA Chapter of AAEE, sponsored by:
35 Presenters From 25 Organisations
CCC is an initiative of the WA Chapter of AAEE, sponsored by:
Co--ordination Considerations
Co
• Schedule developed in collaboration
with presenting organisations
• Participants gathered at a central
location and were transported together
by bus to the days activities
• Bus travel time was used to ‘de-brief’
and discuss the sessions throughout the
day, encouraging critical thinking and
reflection
• ‘Real’ and healthy food was organised
by co-ordinating team rather than
external catering
CCC is an initiative of the WA Chapter of AAEE, sponsored by:
Co--ordination Considerations
Co
• Participants were given a file to add
material to throughout the course
• Participants were asked to fill in the
evaluation form after each session
• An introductory lecture, outlining the
course objectives and some key EE
principles was delivered on the bus on
the first leg of the day 1 journey.
CCC is an initiative of the WA Chapter of AAEE, sponsored by:
Evaluation
An evaluation form was utilised
throughout the 3 days. The qualitative &
quantitative data was collated and
presented in an evaluation report. Only
a small portion is presented here.
– Participants & participant satisfaction
– Uptake of messages
– Program issues
– Did we achieving the objectives?
CCC is an initiative of the WA Chapter of AAEE, sponsored by:
The 2008 Participants
CCC is an initiative of the WA Chapter of AAEE, sponsored by:
Participant Satisfaction
“I learnt a lot, it is going to be a busy year!”
“I liked how each workshop was linked to the other in the different days.”
“Can't believe how so much packed in without feeling rushed.”
“Activities on all three days were great - heat on Thursday spoilt it a bit!!!”
“Clever how we worked from the Hills 'Catchments' down to the coasts.”
CCC is an initiative of the WA Chapter of AAEE, sponsored by:
Uptake of CCC Messages or Material
Participants responses
to the question ‘What
ideas, resources or
activities do you plan to
use from the course?’
could be summarised
into 6 categories
“I have been reminded of the many resources available to use and will
endeavour to use as many as possible in some way over the year.”
“Grant application for pesiometer; Greening Aust activity; extending the
range of activities with Ribbons of Blue that we do. Installing a sensory trial
at the forest discussed doing this 5 years ago…”
“Coast care, indigenous bush tucker, AQWA, MK, onsite revitalization worms, frogs at school”
CCC is an initiative of the WA Chapter of AAEE, sponsored by:
Suggestions for Improvement
•
Shorter day difficult to take in information after 4.30.
•
some of the talks/introductions, I felt were too long, especially
on hot days.
•
Easier meeting site on day one,
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Visual aides that help provide context. Quieter slightly larger
bus with more storage space.
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Perhaps a little long in the heat - though it would be hard to
leave something out.
•
More community education orientated as well - rather than
just focusing on school education
•
More on water treatment, solar energy/wind. Go to some
renewable technology development centres?
•
Larger variety - there were some aspects of water, however
maybe add some hands on wetland activities.
CCC is an initiative of the WA Chapter of AAEE, sponsored by:
2008 Coordinating team reflections
• Improved from the 2007 program
• It would be easier if the intro lecture
was not on the bus – but there are
limitations to time…
• Bus de-brief sessions worked well,
although bus was noisy…
• At least 3 team members are needed
on the ground for each day.
• Fresh food was greatly appreciated –
many +ve comments were received
CCC is an initiative of the WA Chapter of AAEE, sponsored by:
2008 Coordinating team reflections
• Better strategy for marketing to schools
is still needed
• It was very busy/full program but it
would not be appropriate to cut any
more out., nor add any more in! This is
a difficult balance to find… however, 3
days worked well – stick to it.
• Challenge: fitting all the great EE
around the Perth region into a 3 day
program!!
CCC is an initiative of the WA Chapter of AAEE, sponsored by:
Did we achieve the objectives?
Provide a ‘snapshot of EE?
Provide a rich experience?
Facilitate networking with &
between practitioners?
Develop skills & knowledge?
Facilitate participation in EE?
Develop understanding of
resources to help address core
environmental and sustainability
issues in the State?
CCC is an initiative of the WA Chapter of AAEE, sponsored by:
Conclusion
An environmental education program such as
Catchments, Corridors & Coasts provides mutual benefit
for the community of EE/EfS practitioners, as well as
having a positive impact on a broad target audience.
The model used could be adopted in any area by any
group
CCC is an initiative of the WA Chapter of AAEE, sponsored by:
Catchments, Corridors & Coasts
Any Questions?
Check out the web site at
www.aaeewa.org.au
CCC is an initiative of the WA Chapter of AAEE, sponsored by: