Affluenza

The Western world is in the grip of a consumption binge that is unique in human history, argue Clive Hamilton and Richard Denniss. Rates of stress, depression and obesity are up as we wrestle with the emptiness and endless disappointments of the consumer life. The preface and first chapter of Affluenza are available online

Wasteful consumption in Australia

If government programs aimed at reducing waste are to achieve their stated goal then they cannot continue to avoid the nexus between growing waste generation and rising consumption expenditure, argue Clive Hamilton, Richard Denniss and David Baker. Although highlighting the need to reduce and reuse will be more contentious than exhortations to recycle, such a shift in strategy is unavoidable if targets for reduced waste are to be met. A summary of this report is available online