Because the amount of consumerism today is f*cked
Consumerism has become an increasingly prevalent issue, with the consequences manifesting in environmental harm. I have personally seen people on social media boasting their consumerism by showing cabinets filled to the brim with reusable water bottles or entire drawers dedicated to a certain beauty product. It has come to the point where people could cease buying something altogether and already have enough to last them a lifetime. Over 100 billion clothing items are made every year, far more than people can use, leading to 92 million tonnes of that clothing being put into landfills (Martina Igini). This number will only increase as people consume more and more, and the environmental harm caused by this waste will only increase as well. While consumers are only a small portion of the problem, I am using three strategies to minimize my consumption.
1. Project Pan
If you don’t know what Project Pan is, it is a sustainability challenge that went viral on TikTok, where people use up all of one type of beauty product before buying another. This means using all of one fragrance before buying another, or finishing an eyeshadow before purchasing another. This challenge aims to get people to use what they have rather than to buy new products whenever something catches their eye. It also demonstrates just how long one product can last, prompting individuals to be more intentional when they do buy something new. If you grew up in a 2016 beauty influencer era, as I did, it was very common for influencers to show full rooms in their house dedicated to makeup, with cabinets for lip or face products. This type of consumerism is so normalized, and I myself fell victim to the idea that I should buy multiple types of a singular product. Project Pan is helping me finally simplify my life so that I only have what I need and not excess. Plus, with the amount of lip products I do own, I won’t need to buy anymore for a very long time.
2. Making my clothes last longer
You may notice that clothes today will become damaged after only a couple of washes because companies are making their clothes more cheaply. I am taking many actions to extend the life of the clothes that I have, so that I am not buying clothes as frequently. One of my strategies is to wash all my clothes on the delicate cycle and air-dry specific delicate items. Additionally, I will sew any loose stitches or buttons to ensure the clothes maintain their appearance. Finally, once a clothing item has reached its limit, I will upcycle it into something new. Even most donated clothes end up unwanted or unused, so using a piece of clothing through its whole life cycle is a better option, and increases intentionality when shopping. However, donation is still a better option than throwing something away!
3. Using Technology Until the End
Technology is one of the greatest sources of waste because the batteries and metals often can’t be recycled, and even if they can be recycled, it is expensive to do so (TechReset). Rather than constantly upgrading my technology when something new is available, I use it until it is broken beyond repair. If my phone or computer is slowing down to the point where it affects my work, I consider options such as replacing the battery before letting it go to waste. Not only is this a much more cost-effective option for technology, but it can also extend the lifespan of certain items for years longer.
While working on what I consume helps solve the problem, it is also important to be aware of the corporations that contribute massively to waste. With items made to last less, waste being disposed of poorly and corporations prioritizing profit over ethics, it is difficult to live sustainably. However, doing your part to reduce your consumerism can send a message to corporations with something they will listen to: their profit. Utilizing any of these strategies is also a way to create change yourself. It can be discouraging trying to fix large-scale problems because it needs collective action, but this is something that can be taken on by anyone wanting to make a change in the environmental harm consumerism is causing the world.