What is Productive Consumption?

By: Zoe Crimmel

Photo by kris on Unsplash

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What is productive consumption? When we break down the word into productive and consumption we can create a definition. Productivity is the effectiveness of productive effort and consumption is the use of resources. If we combine these two words and therefore with the two definitions we can say that productive consumption is the effective consumption of resources. Now that we have the definition we can get into what it is. When you go to dry your hands take one piece of paper, not two. When you leave the house, turn off the light. When you eat food only take what you need. Only take what you need. A productive consumer is someone who understands that simple concept. They understand that other people on the planet need the same things they do and they know they don’t need it all. They understand that if they take only what they need that means that someone else will have access to those resources. However, while following the line down it can be easily interrupted by someone who for lack of better words is selfish which means they have no consideration for others. If we were to put this disruption in the line of resources it would look a little something like this:

100% of a resource that is available for 10 people

10% is required for each individual to survive

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Perfect Scenario	Real Scenario
Person 1 takes 10% Person 2 takes 10% Person 3 takes 10% Person 4 takes 10% Person 5 takes 10% Person 6 takes 10% Person 7 takes 10% Person 8 takes 10% Person 9 takes 10% Person 10 takes 10% Everyone has the opportunity to get what they need	Person 1 takes 10% Person 2 took 15% and is selfish Person 3 takes 10% Person 4 takes 10% Person 5 takes 10% Person 6 takes 10% Person 7 takes 10% Person 8 took 15% and is selfish Person 9 takes 10% Person 10 has 0% and cannot survive Only two people were selfish and took only 5% more than what they needed which left the last person with nothing to survive

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On the left side, the ten people are productive consumers. They got the 10% that was necessary for them to survive while allowing the other nine people to get the 10% they needed to survive. The group on the right is a combination of productive consumers and selfish consumers. While eight of the people were productive consumers out of ten only two had to be selfish consumers for one person to not get the 10% they needed to survive.

Productive consumption does not mean living on the edge, being on the edge of hunger, or being half-clothed to allow the rest of the world to meet their needs of survival. It means that everyone lives in a sense of comfort and not crossing the line to a sense of too much. When eating food, getting enough to feel full and not overstuffed, or leaving food on the plate to get thrown away. When going shopping, buy clothes that you will use that will keep you warm enough with a variety for the daily needs of each lifestyle as they do differ. It's the choice to make when allowed to become “overstuffed” in life but choosing not to in order to allow someone else to utilize the same resources. It cannot be done by only one person as the person down the line might also break the chain. But the choices each person makes to become a productive consumer instead of a selfish consumer make sure that out of the ten people in the chain, one less is taking more than they need and becoming “overstuffed”. 

When we think and talk about productive consumption there has to be a way to make people productive consumers without making it seem like a “sacrifice.” With an effective group effort I believe that with work, planning and some time the way to make everyone find a lifestyle that fits their needs and enough of their wants to be acceptable while also effectively and productively consuming resources that everyone else needs is attainable. However, it needs to be a choice and one that cannot be made by one person in the chain. It is also something that can be forced by governments, and people in power but it won’t truly be accepted. In order for it to properly work and stick it needs to be a choice to live “full” and not “overstuffed.”