It’s impossible to avoid news about global financial ruin. For everyone I know, it’s equally impossible to understand exactly how the global financial system works – or doesn’t work – but the role of the U.S. consumer inevitably comes up in the discussion among pundits and economists. After years of being told that we don’t save enough, that we rely on credit too much, that we live beyond our means, we’re now told that if we don’t spend money we’re pushing the world into recession.

More stuff flies in the face of environmental reason. As individuals, we buy more, use more, replace more and fill more landfills with stuff than other countries. As businesses, we’re reminded that waste is a kiss of death for efficient operations and fiscal health. Companies are pushed to maximize the efficiency of their operations, recycle anything that can be reused and reduce waste whenever and wherever possible. The revived “green” movement points to that business model as a cornerstone in attacking climate change and environmental degradation.

So, how do we square the two? Technology companies are designing more products to be disassembled and reused. Most of us have become accustomed to seeing red and blue recycling bins in front of houses and big green marketed “paper” and plastic bags in front of grocery stores. The cost of gas has made us drive less (see Roy’s recent blog for the irony of THAT one in financing transportation projects) and kept us out of new-car showrooms. We’re staying out of stores, eating out less, changing light bulbs, recycling plastic bags, recovering materials from waste streams, turning off computers and TVs. So, we’re making a dent in the pollution we generate. We’re making a difference in how we treat the environment. But, what’s it doing to the economy – and is there any way to link up the two?