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What are the consequences of small towns ignoring the theme? |
The process of consumption has a cyclical effect. Good financial practice involves producing goods and services at the lowest possible price. This involves using methods that strictly control production costs, but the negative consequences of this are becoming more evident. This can be illustrated using agricultural practices as an example:
- Land, including forests, is cleared to make way for agricultural products to feed people in towns and cities;
- Pesticides are used to reduce crop loss and increase profits;
- Natural drainage systems leak pesticides into local waterways contaminating drinking water and aquatic life;
- Further advancements allows traditional agriculture to intensify, reducing the cost of labour;
- Fewer farms means goods must travel farther.
This is a very basic example. It does not include other factors such as the influence of globalising economies or growing consumer demand. The resulting consequences of consumption are ultimately a decreased quality of human and environmental health and the displacement of large numbers of people searching for more stable environments
(see ‘Healthy Living and Community Well-Being’ component).
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