Text by Emilio Ades [Mèxico] // 13.05.10

I might not make many friends out of this but I still decided to write it.

Sustainable development is defined by many as a pattern of resource use that aims to meet human needs while preserving the environment so that these needs can be met not only in the present, but also for future generations.

On the other hand, Consumerism is a social and economic order that is based on the systematic creation and fostering of a desire to purchase goods or services in ever greater amounts.

In conclusion, sustainability demands from us to consume just what we really need, while consumerism, which has ruled the western world since the Industrial Revolution, gives us the message of consuming more and more even if we don’t need to.

This is where the problem starts; the way of thinking that rules in our capitalist-western world won´t let a couple of crazy guys telling us to slow down our consumption so easily.

And consumerism won the fight, beating the sustainability with its own weapon. We managed to channel the growing fear of people hearing about global warming and the end of the world, to a series of consumption products which will supposedly help us save the world.

Consumerism uses fear and panic to make us buy. If we are afraid of being robbed, we buy a gun, a couple of alarm systems and build a wall; if we are afraid of climate change we buy solar cells, a couple of hybrid cars and grow some lettuces in our roof.

So the agonizing planet is now full of superheroes, buying and selling solar cells, water treatment plants, “zero emission” hybrid cars, “breathing” buildings, “carbon zero” clothes, “zero emission” houses, “green” computers, “green” dishes, using “sustainable” paper, drinking “responsibly cultivated” coffee, flying in “Green” Airlines, eating organic food…

Everything is the same; it’s just a lexical difference.

I’m going to repeat the first paragraph I wrote:

Sustainable development is defined by many as a pattern of resource use that aims to meet human needs while preserving the environment so that these needs can be met not only in the present, but also for future generations.

Did the definition ever mention a series of gadgets we need to buy so we can preserve the environment?

This is where we stand right now, we are very worried of global warming, climate change and the end of the world; so we buy a series of green gadgets that will make us feel safe and make us believe we are saving the world.

From my perspective, sustainability demands a holistic and systemic way of thinking that will make us live with exactly what we need in the present, keeping resources for future generations. Sustainability should be approached from at least three point of views: Economical, Social and Environmental.

We can’t go to an island, get rid of the natives, build a house, and then bring a hundred of gadgets from all over the world so we can make our home green, sustainable and zero emissions.

Green and sustainable have been converted by consumerism into trademarks and what scares me the most of it: they are fashion trademarks.

Architecture has also been hit; we now have a new trend: “The Green Architecture”. As architects we became unable of using the sun, the breeze and the wind, the own features of local building materials and the orientations promoting a passive design that will achieve an adequate interior climate and a more efficient use of the natural resources.

Instead, we have grown a new architectural style, distinguished by a cartooned image full of green stains and lots of gadgets that will help us make up for our lousy, unconscious, selfish and autistic “green design”.

We even created organizations, which invented a series of requirements that will make a building acquire a degree as if it was pedigree.

Green architecture doesn’t have to be green.

We’ve been harming the place we live in for centuries; we won’t thwart the effects with an item sold at Home Depot.

A big problem requires a holistic and systemic solution.

Sustainability is not a suit you wear.

It is human nature to think wisely and act foolishly. Anatole France

Hope this made you think a little.