by Julie Bray

‘Earth provides enough to satisfy every man’s need, but not enough for any man’s greed.’

Ghandi

If we bought only the things we needed, there would be enough for everybody. What do we need? What you need depends on how old you are and your way of life. Rearrange the list of things you can buy and put the things you think we most need at the top of the list.

A coat

A pair of trainers

Designer jeans

Water

A CD player

A dental check-up

Paper

A restaurant meal

A telephone

Jewellery

Gold-coloured laces in your trainers

Food

An appointment at the hair salon

Paracetamol

Shampoo

An MP3 player

Beer

Toothpaste

A bar of chocolate

Cushion covers

Table mats that match the curtains

If we don't need to buy so much, we don’t need to work so much. We can take part-time jobs or reduce our working day from eight hours to six hours. Some people are leaving very well-paid jobs to live a healthier life in the countryside or a more exciting life abroad. This is called ‘downshifting’. Parents can spend more time with their children and the unemployed are given more opportunities to work.

If we start to respect saving the earth more than spending money, we will become ‘conservers’. When we are conservers, we try to choose environmentally friendly products that are durable and last a long time. We may find growing our own vegetables or making our own clothes more rewarding than buying them.

... contd.