Overconsumption: An Ethical Dilemma for Christian Engineers One of the most important and yet most difficult of the ethical challenges facing technological civilization is “excessive” consumption in the affluent nations. This includes dissipative use of raw materials and production of waste at rates higher than sources or sinks regenerate. Ethics-driven decisions about working on toxic products or in the defense industry are familiar to engineering students; but are engineers who design new products ethically compelled to resist “overconsumption”? Should engineering curricula be targeted toward avoiding overconsumption? Technical professionals may be uniquely positioned to work against some aspects of overconsumption, and it is worth inquiring into whether and how the topic might be incorporated into engineering education and practice. Christian engineers perhaps should be concerned especially if and when they determine that the products and processes they help develop and distribute will abet overconsumption. Arguing from this premise, we attempt to establish a theological foundation for Christian engineers and educators to guide their responses to the issue. The nascent field of Industrial Ecology provides a promising beginning. D o Christian engineers and others who develop and distribute new products have any special respon- sibilities to resist environmental degradation and other harms stemming from technologi- cal innovations? We begin to analyze this question by summarizing the case advanced by those who perceive excessive production, consumption, and waste in affluent socie- ties. The ensuing section then considers two possible responses by Christians: an opti- mistic one, emphasizing human ingenuity as a boundless means of overcoming physical limits; and a pessimistic approach, perceiv- ing the earth as irredeemable and expecting that the second coming of Christ will moot any necessity to deal with environmental and other earthly problems. Finding neither of these responses entirely reliable as a guide to prudent Christian coping with the effects of modern technologies, we then examine the promise of an emerging field known as Industrial Ecology. Although the approach has certain shortcomings, we believe it offers a good start at combining Christian caring, environmental steward- ship, and ordinary prudence. Finally, we discuss some of the implications of our anal- ysis for Christian engineers and for others interested in a spiritual approach to techno- logical innovation and consumer society. We are neither acscetics nor Luddites. Neither of us is willing to give up antibiotics, mosquito abatement, or the printing press. A significant portion of the research for this article was conducted on the Internet, and collaboration was carried out at opposite sides of the country, simultaneously employ- ing word processing, e-mail, and speaker telephones. But we do believe that the Bible warns of a never-ending (until the kingdom) struggle for balance in our earthly lives. 80 Perspectives on Science and Christian Faith Article Overconsumption: An Ethical Dilemma for Christian Engineers We believe Industrial Ecology offers a good start at combining Christian caring, environmental stewardship, and ordinary prudence. Jack Swearengen, an ASA fellow, teaches systems design, green manufacturing and design for environment in the Manufacturing Engineering program at Washington State University, Vancouver, WA. Correspondence regarding this article may be sent to him at: jcnlswear@attbi.com Edward Woodhouse teaches science and technology policy in the Science and Technology Studies Department at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY. Jack Swearengen Edward Woodhouse