Intelligent Consumption: Addressing Consumer Responsibilities for Natural Resources--and Beyond

As population, economic, and consumption pressures on natural resources increase, educating consumers about their responsibilities becomes a new and necessary expansion of Extension programming. Intelligent consumption education must incorporate ethics-based methods to be successful. Since 1998, the Sustainable Living Project at OSU has been offering intelligent consumption programming to typical American adults and older youth. By taking a thoughtful approach to understanding cultural, economic, and environmental ethics, considering the barriers to living sustainably, examining national trends, and determining personal priorities, participants create an ethical foundation for intelligent consumption decision-making.