Some people use a lot of stuff, and some people use very little—in fact,  a big share of the world population is consuming too little to meet even  their basic needs. Instead, we can have a world where everybody gets  what they need to survive and thrive. And we can consume in a way  that preserves our natural resources so that our children can enjoy them,  and their children and their children after that.

A few facts and figures:

Each year, an estimated one third of all food produced – equivalent to 1.3 billion tonnes worth around $1 trillion – ends up rotting in the bins of consumers and retailers, or spoiling due to poor transportation and harvesting practices.

If people worldwide switched to energy efficient light bulbs the world would save US$120 billion annually.

Should the global population reach 9.6 billion by 2050, the equivalent of almost three planets could be required to provide the natural resources needed to sustain current lifestyles.

Sustainable consumption and production is about doing more and better with less. It is also about decoupling economic growth from environmental degradation, increasing resource efficiency and promoting sustainable lifestyles.

Worldwide consumption and production — a driving force of the global economy — rest on the use of the natural environment and resources in a way that continues to have destructive impacts on the planet.  Sustainable consumption and production can also contribute substantially to poverty alleviation and the transition towards low-carbon and green economies.

The hard part is how to  achieve that goal. We can manage our natural resources more efficiently  and dispose of toxic waste better. Cut per capita food waste in half  globally. Get businesses and consumers to reduce and recycle waste. And help countries that have typically not consumed a lot to move  towards more responsible consumption patterns.