This paper provides the rationale for a new education for sustainable development (ESD) project being developed in Australia. Titled "Project otherWISE," it seeks to build the capacity of young Australians to be agents of change towards sustainable lifestyles in their communities. The rationale for the project is grounded in three themes that are analysed in this paper. The first is an explanation of consumption as a key defining characteristic of contemporary society and the social and environmental impacts of global consumerism. The second is the rise of postmaterial values and the potential of sustainable consumption to provide alternatives to mainstream lifestyles. The third is the enormous potential for young people to develop skills in questioning the pressures towards unthinking consumption and to create alternative ways of living in the world.