Advocating nature is human nature. Faced with the deteriorating ecological environment, people are eager to return to nature and integrate with it. This desire is reflected in work, life, leisure and other aspects, especially the green consumption pattern including people's food, clothing, housing and transportation, which is an important way for mankind to return to nature. Green consumption has also become an international fashion.
People use green consumption to show their environmental awareness and civilized life. The so-called green consumption refers to the consumption pattern that takes a simple and healthy life as the goal and prefers "green products" in material consumption. It is a new trend of modern consumption life, which is different from the excessive consumption of materialism and a manifestation of simple life. Its main characteristics are: when the public decides whether to buy a certain commodity, they are increasingly considering the environment, and even prefer to spend more money on green products. The so-called green product means that its production and use are harmless to the environment and human health and meet the requirements of environmental protection, not that its color is green. In the green market, goods will be labeled with "environmental signs" to show that they are green products. )
There are green consumption movements in many parts of the world. This movement is the inevitable result of the increasing awareness of human environment, especially the awareness of consumer ecological ethics. With the theme of "advocating nature and protecting the environment", the green consumption movement has integrated countless people into the ranks of green consumers.
Green consumers require enterprises to produce "green products" that are pollution-free and will not pollute the environment; The products produced by enterprises are required to use "green packaging materials" that do not pollute the environment and waste resources; It is required that buildings must be designed and manufactured according to the principle of ecological balance, which can reflect the harmony between man and nature. It is required that tourism must be a "green tourism" that does not pollute the environment and can truly integrate people with nature; It is required that the diet must be a "green diet" conducive to health and environmental protection; It is required that the vehicle must be a "green car" that will not produce waste gas pollution and save energy.
This is a revolution that began with human consumption. By establishing the consciousness of green consumption, starting from green consumption and through green market, we can promote the demand for ecological technology and the development of green production, reject the consumption pattern that will bring environmental pollution and destroy the ecological balance, form the consumption pattern that is conducive to environmental protection and develop a sustainable life.
Moderate consumption is compared with excessive consumption and forced consumption. In other words, people's consumption is always limited by some "limits". As for personal consumption, Engels pointed out: first, survival; Second, enjoy; Third, development and expression. Because survival is not only living, but also living healthily; Moreover, after meeting the basic needs of life, people hope to improve their living standards, consumption levels, consumption patterns and pursue more enjoyment.
This kind of "enjoyment" is the condition for developing and expressing individual personality and talent, so it is absolutely necessary when it reaches a certain consumption level. However, personal consumption can not be "laissez-faire", but should be restricted by morality at any time and place-the restriction of personal internal moral consciousness and external moral environment. American scholar Allen Du Ning pointed out: "It is an idealistic suggestion to reduce the consumption level and other material desires in the consumer society through moral acceptance. Although it conflicts with the trend of hundreds of years, it may be the only choice. "
Moderate consumption advocates a simple life, which is a higher-level life structure centered on improving the quality of life. A simple life is both convenient and comfortable. It takes meeting basic needs as the standard, and constantly improves the quality of life under the condition of economic development to meet the needs of enjoyment and development. For people in high-consumption society, it is unrealistic and unreasonable to expect them to take the initiative to lower their living standards. However, it is reasonable to ask them to reduce extravagance and waste, improve the efficiency of resource utilization as much as possible, and thus reduce resource consumption. As early as in ancient China, Taoism advocated "abstinence from material desires".
Laozi put forward the idea of "knowing enough does not humiliate the country". He pointed out: "Who is name and body? Which is more important, health or goods? What kind of disease is acquisition or death? If you love it very much, you will pay a lot, but if you hide it too much, you will die. Knowing enough is not humiliating, knowing that it is not dangerous can last for a long time. " Taoism believes that the satisfaction of material enjoyment and reasonable restraint should be based on normal and natural physiological needs. "Eat according to your stomach, dress according to your figure", "Rice is enough to catch your breath, and clothes are enough to cover your figure." Taoism's ideas of "controlling material desires" and "content without humiliation" are very consistent with the development trend of modern civilization.
Schumacher, a famous British ecological economist, said: "The so-called restraint is contentment." This is consistent with Laozi's point of view. The famous historian Toynbee pointed out sharply: "The greed of modern people will exhaust valuable resources, thus depriving future generations of the right to exist. Greed itself is a sin. It is the animal side hidden in human nature. However, as an animal, human beings are superior to animals. If they indulge in greed blindly, they will lose their dignity as human beings. Therefore, if human beings want to control pollution and continue to survive, they must not only stimulate greed, but also curb greed. " Lester R brown, the founder of the idea of sustainable development and a famous American agricultural scientist, believes that the pursuit of material wealth as the highest goal will lead to disaster, and human beings should only pursue the minimum wealth necessary to maintain their lives, and the main goal should be spiritual.
These ideas contain values that are crucial to sustainable development. Sustainable consumption focuses on improving the quality of life, and with the development of economy, it improves people's needs for survival, enjoyment and development. Goods and services are not upgraded by consuming more material resources, but are based on their high knowledge and wisdom value, which is mainly manifested in the diversification of consumer demand, that is, the variety, quality and quantity of goods and services, adapting to consumers' subjective requirements and hobbies that are conducive to giving play to their individuality, and giving people more freedom to choose consumption. This is a sustainable lifestyle that meets the requirements of ecological protection. Simple life advocates the needs of spiritual life. Spiritual enjoyment and fun, in the new consumer culture, are higher goals than material consumption.
The ecologist Ness once pointed out: "People question whether today's society can meet some basic human needs, such as love, security and the right to be close to nature. When raising this question, they are also questioning the basic function of society-the material living standard should be greatly reduced, while the quality of life should be maintained or improved in satisfying people's deep spirit. " When moderate consumption replaces excessive consumption, people no longer have to work hard to make money, but have more leisure. It creates conditions for improving living standards from two aspects: first, it slows down the pace of life; Secondly, I have time to enrich my social life, psychological life and spiritual life. Slow down the pace of life, have more time and energy, you can pursue and improve a healthy psychological life in a colorful life, participate in various beneficial social activities and social contacts, participate in housework, enjoy family happiness and so on. All these activities can add a lot of fun to people's lives.