Why is consumption an environmental issue Critical evaluation of the Essay

Why is consumption an environmental issue Critical evaluation of the role of key stakeholders in the UK in the policy debate around consumption - Essay Example In one way or another we have to consume different things in order to survive for example we have to consume food and water, use electricity and fuel (Botsman and Rogers, 2011).  . It is then surprising when we begin to think of consumption as an environmental issue but in reality it has become a big issue with concerns for the environment. Consumption can now be easily referred to as overconsumption because what used to be the normal levels needed for an individual to survive have been surpassed now it has turned into a kind of selfish consumption whereby you take more than you need or larger quantities than required. The population of the earth is drastically increasing; it would not be such a major problem to the environment if the current consumption rate was not so high. With the increase of the world’s population the globe seems to shrink in size and therefore the resources decrease too because of the high consumption rate which is very hazardous towards the environmen t (Daunton, and Hilton, 2001).  ... It is estimated that an average household in the United Kingdom uses up to 1000 gallons of water in a day. Some areas in the UK consume so much water to the point that other places in the UK experience water shortages, the higher the consumption in one area the less it may be for the others because they may have limited access to water. Greenhouse gas emission is a serious concern in regards to the environment. The increase of the production of greenhouse gases leads to the rise of global warming. The ozone layer is meant to protect the earth from the ultraviolet rays of the sun which are harmful, the emission of these greenhouse gases leads to the depletion of the ozone layer therefore this exposes the earth to dangerous ultraviolet rays (Tremblay, 2005).  . The use of aerosol propellants and a certain gas that was used for refrigeration were banned and phased out in the UK due to the fact that these gases are considered as greenhouse gases. The repeated consumption of these gases led to a certain extent of pollution that harms the environment. The emission of greenhouse gases has increased drastically in the UK from around the year 1990 because of the manufacture of short term consumer items but a policy has been enforced to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases by 80% in the year 2050. UK is one of the countries with the highest carbon emission in the world and most of this is carbon emission is man-made. Since 1990 to the year 2002 there has been a drastic reduction in the carbon emission produced in the United Kingdom, this means that the goal set for the year 2050 is actually achievable. The depletion of the ozone layer has also led to the drastic climate changes. During