One measure the US Federal Reserve uses to judge whether or not the economy is in recession is...garbage. Yup, when people throw lots out, times are good. When people stop putting out fridges, couches and computers with their potato peels (for shame - compost!), it's time to stuff whatever savings you may have in the mattress you were about to throw out.
As a society, we're getting pretty good, though not great, at embracing the concept of recycling. We still have a ways to go in our single family homes, but especially in our businesses, and in our apartments and condos. What we're far less good at is reusing, or even better, reducing. Recessions may force us to be better at the latter two.
I'm not suggesting a recession is a good thing. But perhaps the silver lining is that it's a good reminder that maybe we don't need that new couch or computer after all. Maybe we can turn those scraps into stock for soup, rather than dumping them in the trash. Maybe, just maybe, economic recession, or the threat of one, causes us to be conscious and therefore more responsible consumers.
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