Living in North America, we are very fortunate to have the luxury to buy whatever we want, whenever we want without little thought to how that purchase affects anyone or thing. We have marketing all around us to make us believe that we need the next ‘have to have’ item. With this level of in-your face marketing, media and lifestyle, it is hard not to get caught up in wanting the next new thing, but do we really need it? The overconsumption of goods, including (but certainly not limited to) electronics, food, and clothes, is something that most Canadian’s do without even realizing it, but it is not sustainable for your wallet or the environment.
What is Overconsumption?
Overconsumption, as a basic term, is the consumption of something in excess. In environmental terms, overconsumption is when a natural resource has exceeded its sustainable capacity. In reality, these two definitions go hand in hand, as the consumption of something in excess, usually, if not always, means that there is an overconsumption of natural resources. It is hard to believe, but every item we purchase has an environmental impact and utilizes some level of natural resources. Even if the item is derived from a sustainable source, or recycled material, at some point in the life cycle of that product, natural resources were utilized.
Over-consuming is something that most Canadians do unintentionally, but its environmental impact is staggering, because it is not just one person over-consuming, it is millions (or billions on a world population scale). Anything and everything can be overconsumed, depending on the person and purchasing habits. Being mindful about our consumption patterns is one of the leading ways we as consumers can reduce our ecological footprint and emissions.
Top 5 Over-consumed Products & Goods
Although there are lots of items and goods that are overconsumed, here is a list of items that are often overconsumed (no particular order), unintentionally. The main reason for this overconsumption generally is perpetuated through the ‘more is better’ lifestyle that has been instilled into the minds of every North American, through media and marketing schemes. Oftentimes, it is not even just the more is better lifestyle, but the newer is better as well (coupled with the throw away society), always reaching for the next best thing (for example, cell phones – always a new generation released each year with new features that make your old phone seem incompentent – even though it works perfectly fine).
- Clothing/Shoes
Clothing is highly over-consumed, as media and marketing tell you the next ‘in style’ item or colour of the season. With discount clothing options all over malls, clothing is difficult to not over-consume as it is generally affordable, stylish and gives individuals a sense of identity/status. This is often referred to as ‘fast fashion.’ However, no one truly thinks about the repercussions of the overconsumption (or even regular consumption) of ‘fast fashion’ clothing, as the fabrics, dyes and third-world labour that goes into making these items is far from sustainable. Synthetic fabrics contribute to microplastic pollution (in oceans and waterways) which ends up in the seafood we as humans eat. The dying process of these fabrics release many chemicals into the waterways as well, polluting and poisoning all aquatic life. Perhaps the worst part about cheap, fast fashion clothing is the underpaid and poor labour conditions that workers endure in third-world countries to make these clothes for North American consumers.
2. Food
Food is so tough to not over-consume (I get it and have fallen victim to grocery store sales). How do you know how fast produce will go bad or how much you and your family need that week? It is cheaper to buy two than just one on its own – why would I only buy one? Although there is some justification as to why people over-consume food, it is still not a sustainable way to live for you or the environment. It is estimated that the average Canadian household throws out approximately 140kg of food each year, amounting to over $1100.00 in expenses wasted (in total that is over 2.2 million tonnes of edible food wasted, and almost 17 billion dollars). Not to mention the resources wasted to grow, produce and distribute that food. Getting that food from the farm to your table requires a significant environmental footprint and then when the excess is wasted, those resources are then wasted.
3. Electronics/Technology
In today’s society, technology changes and advances so quickly, it is hard to stay on top of the latest trends without over-consuming all of the electronics. Like the cell phone example I used above, this applies to a lot of electronics and technology products, such as TVs, appliances, computers, tablets, smartwatches, cameras, etc. The list of electronics that households have alone is extensive, when most electronics have similar functions and/or are not necessary. Since technology is so advanced, the average smartphone can operate and function as many devices, such as a computer, camera, tablet and tv. This should eliminate the need for other electronics in your home but they do not meet all the needs those individual electronics give a home or family. Given this, we have individual electronics that all have similar functions, but all bring along their own environmental footprint. All this, while also considering that we as a ‘throw away society’ are continuously looking for the bigger and better item. As technology advances so quickly, most people make it a priority to get the newest iphone, or tablet, as they are released yearly. The cost of this alone is insane, not to mention the impact of all of those continuous purchases on the environment.
4. Furniture
When I think over-consumed furniture, I instantly think of the throw away, cheap MDF desks, tables and bed frames that are often purchased to get through certain stages of life. Often these stages include first home buyers, university/college students and honestly, anyone who cannot commit to one house style for too long (I am really guilty of this!). The unfortunate part about this type of furniture is that they do not last (they are not meant to last- that is kind of the whole point) and are fairly inexpensive, making them widely accessible and often over-consumed. With little value associated with these items, and their inability to last very long, they are easily thrown out by consumers and new items are purchased to replace them that are more in style.
5. Vehicles
Just like electronics and technology, everyone is always seeking the next and newest vehicle with all the ‘bells and whistles.’ Car dealerships do have practices in place for resale for used vehicles, but they also have programs set up (leasing) for consumers to always have a new vehicle in their possession. Leasing vehicles makes having a new car affordable and continuous, allowing people to get the new car feel year after year without the financial commitment. This is still not sustainable, due to the unnecessary need of having a new vehicle. When you take a moment to think of all of the resources that go into a new vehicle, all their parts, materials and transportation of those materials/items/labour etc., their environmental footprint is heavy. The only perk to the environment to new vehicles is fuel efficiency usually increases year to year.
The additional thing to consider that is applicable to all of these products and goods (and all other products and goods) is their lifecycle. At the end of their life, these items will all likely end up in the landfill in some capacity or another. This also has its own set of environmental implications that are not fully considered when making a purchase.
The Overconsumption Solution
Although it is hard to break the habit of over-consuming, your wallet and the environment will thank you. The less you buy, the less you spend and the less natural resources you impact/use – what win/win situation. However, this does not mean that you cannot purchase new clothes or a new iphone, but you should try to be mindful about your purchasing. Here are some things to keep in mind:
- When making new purchases, think about purchasing items that are just ‘new to you’ and not actually brand new. Buying second hand anything (electronics, clothes, cars, etc) is giving a new life to items that might not get a second life.
- Buy sustainable where possible – this goes for almost everything you consume.
- Establish a basic closet with a few quality pieces instead of lots of ‘fast fashion’ pieces.
- If you do want to replace an item, try selling or upcycling your old one first. Selling items, donating them to a cause or repurposing them all gives items new life.
- Recycle, upcycle, compost and divert from the landfill as much as possible when an item you own comes to the end of its life.
Discussion
We as a society need to start questioning the media and marketing gimmicks that lead us to believe we need the things we do not. Although there are many reasons people believe that the latest and greatest item will change their life in some capacity, the likelihood is that it will not. However, it will impact your bank account and the environment, which is not sustainable.
Currently, the world’s consumption of the earth’s natural resources requires that we have 1.7 earths. That means that we as a society, as a whole world population, require nearly 2x of the world’s natural resources at our current consumption rates. If we continue our pattern and trends increase as they have been in the last 30 years, we will need 3xs resources to meet the needs of the population by 2050. Given this, the time to start reducing your impact is now. We cannot sustainably go on living a lifestyle that thrives on overconsumption. Being mindful about your purchasing can go a long way and assist in saving our natural resources for generations to come. This is one of the few ways that we as consumers can control our direct environmental footprints, and there has never been a better time to get started.