Stop and Think Before Buying
Discounts and deals are intriguing, but have you ever thought that purchasing items you don’t need may lead to overconsumption?. But what is overconsumption and how can we avoid it?
WHAT IS OVERCONSUMPTION?
Overconsumption refers to the excessive use of resources that goes beyond the capacity of the ecosystem. Overconsumption is a significant factor to climate change, therefore a continuous overconsumption pattern can hold us back from rebuilding a better planet.
WHY DOES OVERCONSUMPTION HAPPEN?
- Lower price tag: Nowadays, items are made with cheap materials and even sold at cheaper prices, therefore it is more accessible to buy in large quantities
- Discounts: Discount events attract customers to purchase the item for the sake of getting a good deal and not because they need it
HOW TO AVOID OVERCONSUMPTION?
- Do not get easily persuaded by discounts. Think first about whether or not you actually need the item you are purchasing. How often can you use the item?
- Think of the items’ life cycle. Once you discard it, will it end up in the compost or the landfill? Look for items that can be reused or recycled.
- Make use of the items that you already own. See if you already own an item before buying a new one
“When people buy less stuff, you get immediate drops in emissions, resource consumption and pollution, unlike anything we’ve achieved with green technology.” – JB MacKinnon, author of The Day the World Stops Shopping. Let’s support SDG 12
Reference:
https://www.kleiderly.com/our-blog/over-consumption-the-plague-of-our-days
https://www.popsci.com/environment/overconsumption-sustainability-climate/
