To be bothered by how much we consume as a society...

[Cakelesswonder]

Don't get me wrong I love a retail therapy session but today just felt utterly gluttonous in the amount of ads for Black Friday, the 'deals, I couldn't move for emails offering me 20% off lots of things I don't need. I'm not suggesting everyone knits their own yogurt and lives like Mormons but I really feel we don't have the resources on Earth to keep consuming, throwing and consuming like we do. Everything is disposable, straws, clothes, we buy water in bottles then throw them away polluting the oceans and planet for ourselves and future generations. I have no idea what the overall solution is but it really got to me today .

Stupid phone should read to my shame, to to mybrown shame.

@Cripesalive

Packaged fruit/veg are often treated with preservatives and antibacterial solutions.

The vast majority of the people on the planet are too poor to really give a shit about how they can improve things. They don't consume like the Western world does though. I think saying they don't give a shit is a bit sweeping. When someone's poor they'd be more likely to re use, make do and mend surely.

To be fair i bet they would if they had the means to consume like the rest of us.

To be fair i bet they would if they had the means to consume like the rest of us. Yes but they don't so it's a non argument.

I think in Western society though, if you are not well off, it's often easier to buy cheap rubbish, which ends up needing to be replaced soon. It often works out more expensive in the long run (as well as bad for the environment), but often people who are hard up won't have the money up front to afford better quality, longer lasting items.

Also, the "cheap shops" where many less well off people shop, are some of the worst offenders for piling their shelves with plastic tat.

I can understand what people are saying re what good will my little bit of recycling etc do but it really can. We can all make a small difference and lead by example by showing our children and the people around us.

ShowMuchToBits Pre owned stuff and things like Freecycle can help with this.

To be fair i bet they would if they had the means to consume like the rest of us.
Yes but they don't so it's a non argument.

It is a problem for India and China... as they're lifted out of poverty, they consume way more.

And yes, there's the relatively poor people in the West. Refusing things like Happy Meals or party grab bags is largely a class phenomenon.

Another thing that can help is to stop watching Regular TV, I'm not saying to stop watching favourite shows but the mind numbing BS that most of it is. Life styles and products that we think we need but don't.

I agree that tv (not just adverts but there are far more "lifestyle" programmes than there used to be) puts pressure on people to buy things they don't need. People want "all the latest" fads, whether that's in kitchen stuff, decorating, fashion. I doubt if most of them are any happier after buying all that stuff either!

I doubt if most of them are any happier after buying all that stuff either! It's just a short lived buzz isn't it.

Definitely agree with the TV comment. I've definitely noticed a difference with my kids (although we didn't change lifestyle for that reason, it just kind of happened). If you only binge watch old programmes you'll never see fads and fashion you want to follow.

The OP is correct to be concerned. We can do without plastic lids and use mugs or cups for example. Electrical and IT products should be supported for a minimum of 10 years so you do not have to replace on the grounds of so-called obsolescence as well.

idfwu
That's what I was going to say! I'm Mormon and was genuinely confused at first.

on the grounds of so-called obsolescence That's one of the biggest cons going isn't. Such waste.

I'm intrigued at what you think Mormons live like? Do you mean Amish?

How about not operating the dishwasher and the washing machine when it's only half full? It winds me up when people do a wash programme with only a sodding pair of trousers in it, or people who wash seemingly totally clean outfits after only wearing it once. You can wear a jumper or trousers many times before it gets to a state you have to wash it. Jeans, man! I can wear a pair a dozen times before washing them. I am not a toddler who rolls in mud and drops food on my clothes.

I think if I was in government I would legislate against built in obsolescence. It's something which has become much worse in recent years. Very much so in tech (where things like iPads still work, but you can't use them in practice because they are no longer supported), but also things like kitchen gadgets. I had my old electric hand whisk for 29 years before it gave up. The new one I bought to replace it looks so flimsy in comparison - the build quality is nowhere near as good, despite the fact I didn't just buy the cheapest. I can't see this one lasting 29 years!

I'm with you OP. I tend to use something until it breaks, I can't justify replacing things that still work both from a financial and an eco/ethical perspective ( I think I said this on one of the present-buying threads). DH and DS were going on for ages about getting a new TV and I said not until the current one breaks. Lo and behold, it broke. I am a bit suspicious about that ;)

My mum says she has friends who rip out their kitchen every 4 years or so. I mean, really? I guess it's good for the economy, but it's not good for the planet at all!

I really hate all the tacky tat that mainly comes in from China. Do we really need it all?

I think Wetherspoons are banning plastic straws from January which is brilliant as they really are so pointless

Except this. Kids with braces need to drink through straws. Or are they offering a more eco alternative like paper ones?

I have just a few clothes and wear them into the ground. I've never bought a new new car, always second hand.

My main vice is probably flying several times a year.

But I think all the small things consumers/households do are hugely overshadowed by industry. Until industry gets its house in order, what consumers do has little impact. I get annoyed with the shaming of women over sanitary protection (and disposable nappies) when industry causes something like 97% of waste.

while we're at it (and yes, have said this before).

If you're worried about the environment the single best thing you can do is NOT FLY or FLY LESS. Recycling is lovely and important and all that, but it's worth bupkis compared to the damage flying does.

I guess I should add, despite my Mormon question, I think your right. I am genuinely shocked at the amount of consumerism this time of year, but then I would probably be seen as a a bit of a shopaholic. We buy good quality and are often drawn in my the lasted Gimmicks, we tend to buy the best we can possibly afford, so not major designer but good quality high street brands.

I hate all the hassle of sales, I like a bargain as much as the next person but I'm not wasting my time just to get 10% off something I don't even want.

Here -

It got a lot of coverage because of the rather silly 'have fewer kids' thing at the top, but look at the second line - avoiding one transatlantic flight is as good as buying green energy and twice as good as going vegan.

www.sciencemag.org/news/2017/07/best-way-reduce-your-carbon-footprint-one-government-isn-t-telling-you-about

1DAD2KIDS yes, spot on. If people have the means, they will consume like insatiable locusts. If they have just a little disposable income and cheap goods around them, they will spend. Human nature. Nothing is ever enough.
I am also shocked by supermarkets' policy of only selling vegetables/fruit that are absolutely perfect. No bent carrots or crooked parsnips, they have to be totally straight. If your vegetables are not perfect, big supermarkets won't do business with you. I've seen documentaries about it. I know it could be another thread, but it just reflects how much we have been spoilt.