ABSTRACT
One of the reasons for
promoting sustainable consumption is that it may give rise to greater happiness
of a greater number, at least in the long run. In this paper I explore the
strength of that moral account. I take stock of the assumed effects of
sustainable consumption on happiness and next review the empirical evidence for
such effects on the present generation. I make also educated guesses about
consequences for the happiness of later generations.
The evidence suggests that a shift to sustainable consumption involve a
minor reduction of happiness, at least temporarily, but that we can live quite
happy with less luxury. Sustainable consumption of the present generation will
only add to the happiness of future generations if it prevents major ecological
disasters or if exhaustion of resources will reduce to poverty.Moral justification of sustainable consumption can better appeal to the
inherent value of the things it aims to sustain than on human happiness.