Ethics of Overconsumption

During undergrad I studied abroad in Oaxaca, Mexico where potable water is scarce. Every week a tanker trunk delivered water to our apartment building, where it was stored in a tank for use throughout the week. We very quickly learned the very real limits of water supply when long showers used up the water before the next scheduled delivery. When it was gone, it was gone. The water flow would shut off mid-shower and that would be it until the next delivery. If I used more than my share of the water there were very real ramifications that directly impacted myself, and the others I lived with, so I felt a sense of responsibility to them to conserve water. In the United States we are fortunate to have invisible systems supplying us with seemingly endless supplies of water and energy which we use at alarming rates. Perhaps we are too far removed from the process of obtaining those resources. There are no immediate ramifications for over consumption as there are in places like Mexico, so we just continue to use. We are well aware of the impact of over consumption, yet it doesn't seem to be slowing down.

In Ecological Urbanism, Mohsen Mostafavi questions the ethical performance of buildings as part of the criteria for evaluating its environmental impact. Is it ethical for us to continue to over-consume natural resources while fully understanding the negative impacts? The answer is obviously no, so why are we so slow to change? The building industry is one of the leading users of energy and resources in the United States, which posits us in a position to really lead change.

Potable Water Delivery

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