Real cost refers to the true cost of something, taking into account all of the factors that contribute to its production and consumption. This includes not only the direct costs such as materials and labor, but also indirect costs such as environmental damage, social impacts, and long-term consequences.
One way to understand real cost is to think about the difference between nominal and real values. Nominal values are the prices or costs that are quoted or advertised, while real values are the actual costs adjusted for inflation. For example, if you buy a car for $20,000 in 2020 and the inflation rate is 2% per year, the real cost of that car in 2021 would be $20,400.
However, real cost goes beyond just the financial cost of something. It also includes the environmental and social costs of producing and consuming a product or service. For example, the real cost of a gallon of gasoline includes not only the cost of drilling for oil, refining it into gasoline, and transporting it to a gas station, but also the environmental impacts of extracting and burning fossil fuels, such as air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions.
Similarly, the real cost of a piece of clothing may include the cost of materials, labor, and transportation, but it may also include the environmental and social impacts of the factories where it was made, such as water pollution and poor working conditions.
Real cost also takes into account the long-term consequences of a product or service. For example, the real cost of a fast food meal may seem relatively low when compared to a meal from a sit-down restaurant, but it does not take into account the potential long-term health consequences of consuming a diet high in unhealthy foods.
In short, real cost is a holistic approach to understanding the true cost of something, taking into account all of the factors that contribute to its production and consumption, including financial, environmental, social, and long-term consequences. By considering real cost, we can make more informed decisions about the products and services we consume, and strive to minimize their negative impacts on society and the planet.