CarolC, I'll agree with you that we should live more sustainably, but I just can't see how we can do more than use less, which is still wasting stuff, and I'm quite sure we won't use less until we are forced to.
Personal freedom is going to bring us down, freedom to have lots of kids, freedom to buy lots of goods,(especially those nicely presented ones,) freedom of fast travel, freedom to upgrade the computer, etc.

So, in the democratic countries, greed (or artificial need) is promoted by those who want to sell things, and in the totalitarian countries there is no accountability for the controllers.

Farming in the West also seems to me to be an artificial system (Mono-culture, is it called?) although oriental peoples seem to be able to sustain the land by intensive cultivation. However, as they become more 'advanced' they are demanding more consumer goods (what a descriptive term).
I too try to live reasonably frugally, and I help others to do so, I fix things for a living. Rapaire, more power to your elbow.

Since I emigrated to this country in 1974, the population has increased 34%. I wonder if there is a country in the world where the population has decreased, apart from maybe China.   Chris.