SUSTAINABLE CONSUMPTION AND A SUSTAINABLE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Abstract

The primary impediment on the road to sustainable growth are, developed above actual needs, patterns of production and consumption, realized at the expense of pollution of natural environment, depletion of natural resources and deterioration of the quality of life of current and future generations. The concept of balanced and sustainable consumption is an alternative to abusive consumption. It takes into account environmental requirements as well as the rules of social responsibility. Sustainable consumption allows for continuous reproduction of the object of consumption and reaching durable, relatively equally distributed individual and social wealth in a long period of time. Durable consumption, being an interpretation of sustainable development in the sphere of consumption, assumes increase of buyers’ awareness, as they make responsible decisions and limit their material needs. The article describes the essence of sustainable development and sustainable consumption and presents consumer trends and movements related to it.