CONSUMERISM AND THE ENVIRONMENT

As Consumerism
Spreads, Earth Suffers
I. Read the text and fill in the blanks
with the right Preposition from the
box.
*to (13x) * by * on (5x) * of (12x) * in (4x) * for (3x) * from * with (2x) * at(2x)

Americans and Western Europeans have had a lock 1)______unsustainable over- consumption for
decades. But now developing countries are catching up rapidly, 2)______ the detriment 3)______the
environment, health, and happiness, according to a Worldwatch Institute report.
Approximately 1.7 billion people worldwide now belong 4)______the "consumer class"the group
5)______people characterized 6)______diets 7)______highly processed food, desire 8)______ bigger
houses, more and bigger cars, higher levels 9)______ debt, and lifestyles devoted 10)______ the
accumulation 11)______non-essential goods. Today nearly half 12)______global consumers reside
13)______developing countries.
Rising consumption has helped meet basic needs and create jobs. But this unprecedented
consumer appetite is undermining the natural systems we all depend on, and making it even
harder 14)______ the world's poor 15)_____ meet their basic needs. The report addresses the
devastating toll 16)______ the Earth's water supplies, natural resources, and ecosystems. "Most of
the environmental issues we see today can be linked 17)______consumption," said Gary Gardner,
director 18)______research for Worldwatch. "As just one small example, there was a story in the
newspaper just the other day saying that 37 percent 19)______species could become extinct due
to climate change, which is very directly related 20)______consumption."
Globalization is a driving factor 21)______making goods and services previously out of reach in
developing countries much more available. Items that 22)______one point in time were considered
luxuriestelevisions, cell phones, computers, air conditioningare now viewed as necessities.
Changing diet, with a growing emphasis 23)______meat, illustrates the environmental and societal
toll exacted by unbridled consumption.
The increase 24)______prosperity is not making humans happier or healthier, according to several
studies and findings 25)______a survey of life satisfaction in more than 65 countries. Additional
income appears 26)______produce only modest increments 27)______self-reported happiness.
Increased consumerism evidently comes 28)_____a steep price. People are incurring debt and
working longer hours 29)______pay for the high-consumption lifestyle, consequently spending less
time 30)______family, friends, and community organizations. Diets 31)_____ highly processed food
and the sedentary lifestyle that goes 32)______heavy reliance 33)______ automobiles have led
34)______ a worldwide epidemic of obesity.
There is no easy solution 35)_____ the problem. The authors call 36)______ green taxes, take-back
programs that require manufacturers 37)______ recycle packaging or goods, and consumer
education and awareness programs. "We need 38)______ reorient our way 39)______thinking, says
Gardner. The goal is 40)______ focus 41)______ how to provide a higher quality 42)______ life using
the lowest amount 43)______raw materials," he said. "We need to change the way we produce
goods
and
the
way
we
consume
them,"
says
Gardner.
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2004/01/0111_040112_consumerism_2.html

II. DEBATE- State your views on the following quotation:

We should shift today's consumer cultures toward cultures of sustainability. The key to this
transformation will lie in harnessing institutions that play a central role in shaping societysuch as

the media, educational services, business, governments, traditions, and social movementsto
instill this new cultural orientation.
http://www.worldwatch.org/n
ode/6096

KEY

1) on 2) to 3) of 4) to 5) of 6) by 7) of 8) for 9) of 10) to 11) of 12) of

13) in 14) for 15) to 16) on 17) to 18) of 19) of 20) to 21) in 22) at 23) on 24) in 25) from 26) to
27) in 28) at 29) to 30) with 31) of 32) with 33) on 34) to 35) to 36) for 37) to
38) to 39) of 40) to 41) on 42) of 43)of