Meaning of Overconsumption
Imagine a demon that devours the earth and grows larger with every bite; this is overconsumption. On an average, an American purchases 60 new garments in a year, roughly one per week.
When we start treating non-edibles like clothes, shoes, and gadgets as disposable goods and, toss them in-landfills every few weeks for the sake of trends, fashion, and style. We're embracing overconsumption. Itrefers to the rate at which we use resources beyond their actual need.
If we consume like average American, we will need 5 earths to meet the demand
In the past year, 20 billion pairs of shoes were produced globally by south east Asian countries. Out of which 300 million of them went to the landfills in America alone as quoted by Popular Science magazine in their story on overconsumption.
As of 2024, The population of wildlife in our fragile ecosystem and biodiversity has reduced to only 6%, this includes large mammals like Elephants and whales. Humans are settling everywhere, if it is not humans then, then it’s their garbage, leaving no space for any other species on the planet.
What could be a solution to this devastating pattern that humans are popularising in the name of development and progress. How do we live a successful life without literally destroying our home planet?
Here are some pointers that can be incorporated in your routine.
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Introduce mindfulness into your life.
Various practices and guidelines can help program your mind to slow down. Our desire to hoard might be a misguided attempt to fill some psychological void. Practicing mindfulness tools like meditation, yoga, and traditional martial arts like Tai Chi can help address the root cause of the urge to possess.
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Once we establish a path of mindfulness, then it gets easy to think before you buy. You will not derive any psychological comfort through your purchases. Shopping will become a chore to fulfil your needs and not desires.
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When you are out there shopping, you need to ask yourself some questions.
Do I need this now?
Does it do good to my overall wellbeing in some way other than external appearance? Does it assimilate into the planet safely once I have used it for its lifetime?
When there is a need, You can buy clothing that is made from organic cotton and naturally dyed materials, that are long-lasting and easily bio-degradable. Indian Clothing brands like Livbio cater to this requirement.
- Spend time in nature
Fun Fact - If you can afford to hoard, you can afford to travel. Go hiking or trekking and experience the ecology up close. Walk barefoot, observe birds flying, butterflies fluttering, and feed an animal.
These activities will make you mindful of other species and the ecosystem. A desire to conserve will arise from within, leading to a meaningful existence that prioritizes inclusiveness over exclusivity.
If we practice some of the above steps, then we could call it mindful consumption. We might have bank currency in our account to own anything and everything, but it is a man-made tragedy, that the earth as we know it today, has run out of all its resources to support our unlimited materialistic desires. As an evolved species, we understand deeper truths about earth, its cycle and its resources. It is time to make mindful choices and move away from unlimited hoarding/discarding patterns.