This week my epiphany was related to the Durning reading. He states that the problem with over-consumption comes down to the consumer. The importance of material items that our society has placed on us, we all try and meet these unnecessary, unsustainable expectations. The change in how we prioritize material goods would ultimately make the biggest difference. He argues that it is our job to make these changes.

In class we discussed if we should leave these decisions up to consumers or if government action is needed. I prefer the freedom of buying what I want, when I want; however, I believe that any major changes in consumerism would be most successful when being pushed by an outside source. Idealistically, consumers could make sustainable choices on their own, but with a lack of education in this area, the masses wouldn’t even know where to start. I believe that if government would use a helping hand in showing the importance of sustainability and reasonable consumption, that society would have the tools to make wise choices on their own.