Can we be Culsumers instead of Consumers? – Imagine from Clidemy
𝑰𝒎𝒂𝒈𝒊𝒏𝒆 from Clidemy
Imagine from Clidemy is a thought series in which we try providing a peek into what the world can be, if only we are willing to be imaginative.
The word consume is derived from Latin roots – 𝑪𝒐𝒏 (with, together) and 𝒔𝒖𝒎𝒐 (take).
Since the start of human civilization (which itself ultimately is derived from the Latin 𝑪𝒊𝒗𝒊𝒔, meaning a city dweller – how apt!), we have taken the word Consume to heart and as a race, and have 𝘵𝘰𝘨𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘥𝘦𝘷𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘦𝘥 the planet with gusto.
Our specialty focus areas include
Almost every ecological problem we face today (climate change, ozone layer depletion, air/land/water pollution…) can be quite easily traced to the fact that we have been mindless, avaricious consumers.
Life needs energy, and energy needs consumption. So, consumption is a given if life is a given.
Consume, we must. Perhaps we can moderate consumption – a dominant theme in today’s sustainability recommendations (remember the first of the 3 Rs – Reduce) – but…
…but, in addition to moderating consumption, can we also grow as we consume?
Instead of being a consumer, can we be a culsumer?
Culsumers – now, what is THAT?
There is no such word as culsumer (a recent invention by His Highness you know so well) but I, like the chap who coined the word consumer, am generously borrowing from Latin – Cult (meaning grow) and Sumo… (BTW, the term Cult ought to be familiar to you – Cultivate, Agriculture…)
Culsume – grow stuff and enrich the ecosystem even as we take things from it…
We of course already do this – we grow crops as we eat them, and grow textile fiber even as we buy and consume textiles. Of more recent origin, we also produce electricity from rooftop solar panels as we consume it, though they are called prosumers. The term Pro is from Latin too, but it has a different connotation of “leading”, “forward” – and not themes such as “growing” and “enriching” that the word 𝘤𝘶𝘭𝘵 denotes.
But can we be CULSUMERS in many other ways? Can you “grow plastics” as you use them? Can you “grow fuel” even as you consume it? Can you “grow cement” while you build great buildings?
Imagine a world in which we culsume sustainably!
Welcome to the world of Culsumers @ CliDemy – the Climate Academy.
We have a small team working on what the world of culsumers could look like, and how you too can be a culsumer.
If you wish to get our first list of “25 actions you can do as a culsumer”, send a note to ask@clidemy.com
Happy culsumption.
See my LinkedIn post on this topic.
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