Chapter 2: How to Approach the Materiality of the Ecosocial Transition in Social Work Education

Focusing on materiality, this chapter posits the unsustainability of contemporary consumer societies as one of the keys to the global ecological crises at stake. Roughly a quarter of the Earth’s population consumes about three quarters of the resources and produces three quarters of waste and emissions. The challenge is to significantly reduce the material imprint of humanity, especially of its overconsuming sections, and prioritize use of materials for essential uses over consumables. The chapter addresses and discusses these issues and introduces exercises that facilitate awareness of the material and consumerist underpinnings of our lives.