Is Hyper Consumerism Destroying The Planet? 12 Examples From Daily Life Massive Earth Foundation Abhishek Gupta
What Is Hyper Consumerism? ....Hyper consumerism refers to an intense form of consumption where individuals and societies indulge in excessive consumption of goods, commodities, and services, often purchasing things that go far beyond their basic needs. It results in the overproduction of material, depletion of finite resources, enormous waste generation, and destruction of the environment and ecosystems.Hyper consumerism is a manifestation of the consumerist economy that’s completely dependent upon the individual’s compulsion to continuously consume and participate in the consumption culture. It is prompted by large-scale overproduction of material goods, tactful marketing campaigns targeting the customer’s psyche to drive up sales, and a cultural aura that equates meaning, happiness, and success directly with the possession of material products, linking them with social status, identity, and persona. Hyper consumerism results in a devastating impact on natural ecology, health, economic disparities, and contributes massively to the excessive generation of human waste on planet Earth. It can pose a challenge to the goal of achieving sustainable development and reducing emissions, as it promotes a culture of continuous buying over reusing, repairing, and regenerating.
Examples Of Hyper Consumerism from Everyday Life......Hyper consumerism can be observed in various industries such as.....Fast fashion occurs due to the relentless pursuit of cheap, trendy clothing to match ever-changing styles promoted by the latest catwalk trends and high-fashion designs. Fashion-conscious buyers can often end up buying, discarding, and buying more products in as small a period as a week, leading to mounting piles of textile waste. Image-conscious brands also end up discarding large volumes of unused products, dumping them in developing countries where it contributes to waste and toxic disposal. Fast fashion contributes significantly to waste and environmental harm, as discarded garments pile up in landfills and production processes strain natural resources. According to a report, the industry produces 100 billion garments each year, out of which 91 million tonnes of clothes end up as waste. More than 55% ends up in landfills or is incinerated.The fashion industry contributes more than 10% of greenhouse gas emissions per year, and if the hyper-consuming trend continues, the numbers are bound to go up.
Gadget Obsession & Tech Upgrades.....The frequent and urgent need to possess the latest gadget, along with the upgradation of smartphones, tablets, and laptops, results in saturation and overconsumption of electronic items in society. Often, the previous products are discarded, and the e-waste streams get mixed with other waste, creating toxic and hazardous situations and posing a threat to the environment. The gadget obsession is nudged by clever marketing tricks and schemes, creating a sense of urgency and fear of missing out (FOMO) in consumers, especially when brand image and social status are linked with the possession of devices such as the iPhone. Additionally, large-scale corporations engage in tactics like planned obsolescence, purposefully designing products to degrade quickly, forcing users to discard and upgrade to the latest tech. The mounting pile of discarded e-waste is often filled with dangerous batteries and hazardous materials like lead, whose handling can be life-threatening, especially to workers exposed to these settings. Companies also ensure non-user-friendly designs of e-products, such as unchangeable batteries, non-repairable phones, laptops, and ear pods, snatching away the user’s right to repair and reuse, and forcing an accelerated rate of consumption.It is estimated that the world produced about 62 million tonnes of e-waste in 2022, out of which only 20% was processed properly. The rest ends up in dumpyards and non-professional settings, posing a significant risk to health and the environment in general.
