We know there’s an overconsumption problem. But what overarching consequences of overconsumption are we in for? Simply put, we’ve created an industrial waste problem that influences the quality of life on our planet. However, there’s more to this story, overconsumption creates more problems than meets the eye. So, to what extent do our overconsumption habits affect the environment? Let’s talk about it.
What is overconsumption?
Overconsumption happens when we use resources at an unsustainable and wasteful rate. This happens readily in our linear and consumeristic system, yet the waste and pollution that are byproducts of our overconsumption have backed us into a precarious corner.
There are many reasons why we overconsume, but it’s normalized despite being far beyond the point of being reasonable. Overconsumption has a lot of nuance, but the reality of this issue is that we simply need to be better stewards of our planet and understand that our actions shape our world.
Overall, overconsumption is a heavyweight problem that will require concentrated effort to remedy. As such, we’ll need to address the consequences of overconsumption through a holistic approach – including understanding the far-reaching influence of our overconsumption.
The impacts of overconsumption:
The consequences of overconsumption don’t just start and end with being wasteful, some impacts just don’t always jump out at you. Waste is still a huge part of the problem, but the consequences of overconsumption stem from all parts of the industrial process. I know it can be hard to think about how your actions may be influencing the broader world, but that’s what we’re here to talk about!
Overconsumption impacts more than just your wallet, it has profound consequences for us and the environment too. Despite the fact that overconsumption can cause financial and mental health issues, here we’ll be sticking to the ecological consequences of overconsumption.
In general, overconsumption leads to:
- Air pollution.
- Water pollution.
- Land pollution.
- Harm to living things.
Overconsumption leads to air pollution.
One of the consequences of overconsumption is damage to air quality. The main form of air pollution that stems from overconsumption is greenhouse gas emissions. Greenhouse gases are gases that trap heat, thus creating an environment like a greenhouse. They are a huge driving force behind climate issues.
Industry inherently produces a lot of emissions. Things like material collection, processing, distribution, and disposal all release air pollutants. So, the cycle of resource extraction, production, and waste all contributes to the degradation of air quality.
Overconsumption encourages a throwaway culture.
Although each step along the pathway of industry adds to the consequences of overconsumption, overconsumption disproportionately worsens the rate of disposal. Our throwaway culture makes industry’s effect on air pollution far greater than if we were more intentional with our purchases.
After all, a consumer mindset is coupled with planned obsolescence and waste. To be perpetual consumers, we will always have to replace the old with new. This leaves us with mounds of discarded products and materials that either need to be reused in some way or left to rot in a landfill forever.
Yet, thanks to our underdeveloped waste management, increasing rates of disposal, and our linear economic system, we’ve created a landfill problem for ourselves. We have limited disposal options, two of which are open-air landfills and enclosed landfills.
Plastic, one of the most prevalent forms of waste, emits greenhouse gases indefinitely. When you put a bunch of plastic in an open-air landfill it can disperse greenhouse gases unrestrictedly. The toxic air is dispersed by wind and can lead to acid rain, visibility issues, and warm the planet.
Enclosed landfills are no better. Although the waste is buried and shouldn’t unrestrictedly spread emissions, the reality can be far more dangerous. Without oxygen, plastics can’t break down at all so the emissions potential is limitless. The gas still finds a way out of the ground too and leads to the same issues as the open-air landfills but due to built-up volatile gas, it also has the potential to explode and cause great harm.
Overconsumption leads to water pollution.
Another one of the consequences of overconsumption is water pollution. Water scarcity is already a problem (hello, we need water to survive!), so securing water is a global issue. This makes dealing with water pollution a top priority, one that we cannot afford to not get a handle on.
Overconsumption pollutes bodies of water both physically and chemically. Both of these contribute to climate issues and have many trickle-down effects.
Physical pollutants, like plastic, enter waterways easily due to improper waste management and disposal. Plastic breaks down into smaller bits of plastic called microplastics that circulate in our waterways. These persist in our environment and have widespread effects; one huge effect being the very presence of these harmful substances. We have even created trash islands in the ocean due to this problem!
Plastic can also chemically pollute waterways too. Plastic additives for example leach into water due to weathering. Water is also chemically polluted due to our waste problems. If the wrong method of underground disposal is used, those materials have the chance to contaminate groundwater. Industry waste also commonly finds its way into bodies of water, and these hazardous materials can persist in an ecosystem, damaging it the whole time, for a very long time.
Overconsumption leads to land pollution.
Just like with air and water, overconsumption pollutes the land too. Just like with water, land can be physically and chemically polluted. Land pollution does more harm to us upfront because it’s easier to see the effects of this type of pollution. Nonetheless, both forms of land pollution are disastrous consequences of overconsumption.
Landfills contribute to air and water pollution but also to land pollution too. Physical land pollution can be seen in the form of landfills, littering, and mining for materials to use for industry. Furthermore, enclosed landfills can lead to sinkholes from decomposing waste. We are altering the physical landscape substantially and if we continue to overconsume there will be nothing left but wasteland.
Chemical pollution of land, on the other hand, can have even more damaging effects. Soil quality is affected by chemicals that are used for and are byproducts of industry. Chemical pollution of soil leads to decreased soil fertility which in turn affects agriculture. This pollution can also find its way into waterways or harm people and animals through direct exposure to these chemicals.
Overconsumption causes harm to living things.
Our linear system of consumption has caused a myriad of problems, like the ones mentioned above, but one consequence that stems from those problems is general harm to living things. The result of the air, water, and land pollution caused by overconsumption is a decline in the health of plants, animals, and us.
Our hidden bottom line is that if we don’t address the consequences of overconsumption, there will be no turning back. Climate change will alter our world; it already is. But our overconsumption is enshrining our downfall and reducing our odds at protecting life as we know it.
All forms of pollution have negative effects on life.
Physical pollutants can either ensnare or get eaten by animals. Debris can get lodged in or around them either causing disease or suffocation or by causing malnutrition which leads to starvation. There are huge numbers of animal deaths associated with this and it’s easier to track because you can see it. Aquatic wildlife is being especially harmed by this type of pollution and it has led to rapid declines in populations of many species.
Plastic pollutants can also spread disease by allowing microbes to colonize. Contaminated waterways can also be a death sentence. Chemicals leaching into soils can decimate plant communities and consequently harm the animals that rely on those plants.
Animals that encounter chemical pollutants are also at risk because these materials are major health hazards. The fact is that essentially any form of pollution negatively affects health and biodiversity. We are seeing large-scale extinction events due to the waste and pollution problems we have created from our unsustainable industrial practices.
The resulting biodiversity loss is bad enough, but what we are inadvertently doing to our health is just as terrifying. Issues with air pollution can lead to respiratory issues, like asthma and lung cancer. Water pollution worsens disease outbreaks, gastrointestinal issues, and harms reproductive and immune systems. Land pollution can cause skin irritations and cancer, and limit agricultural yields. Access to clean water, air, and land is a non-negotiable for life!
More ways overconsumption hurts the environment:
The main points I’ve discussed thus far all relate to industrial pollution. This is one of the biggest consequences of overconsumption, but there are others that I’d like to briefly mention here before moving on.
Due to how many resources we need to manufacture products, overconsuming these products will lead to greater resource use. This then leads to things like water availability problems, deforestation, overmining, acid rain, habitat loss, desertification, loss of livelihood, and so on. These are serious consequences of overconsumption, and we should be aware of them, no doubt.
The consequences of overconsumption continue to add up, and I could honestly talk at length about it. To keep this (somewhat) concise, I’ll refrain and just leave it at that. Okay, moving on!
Is there any solution to remedy the consequences of overconsumption?
Our overconsumption problems are connected to climate change and there’s no way around that. We desperately need to address the consequences of overconsumption, but how do we accomplish such a large task?
Large-scale we need better waste management. We also need to shift to a circular economy and make more things recyclable, compostable, or reusable. We must find a way to prevent this waste problem from having irreversible consequences.
The solutions to these consequences of overconsumption, therefore, could include things like better recycling programs, stricter legal bounds for manufacturing, or a global shift to responsible packaging. There are many ways we could potentially solve the consequences of overconsumption, but overall, we just need to be better consumers.
Can individuals lessen the consequences of overconsumption?
While corporations typically play the biggest role in contributing to our climate issues, we can’t deny the role individuals play. We are the consumers, after all. Due to this, there are definitely ways we can lessen the impacts of overconsumption! So, I encourage you to empower yourself and search for ways you can combat the consequences of overconsumption.
We need to acknowledge the overarching effects of our overconsumption, and we must shift priorities! A minimalist or low-impact lifestyle would be an impactful way we as individuals can help. If minimalism isn’t your thing, then I suggest becoming a mindful consumer and supporting ethical companies, not using harmful products, and buying things with the intention of using them to their full extent.
The consequences of overconsumption don’t seem easy to solve, but don’t get discouraged! As long as there are people who care in the world, there is hope to be had. Let’s work together and do our best to create a sustainable and equitable world!