The Key To Conscious Consumerism

We as a planet have been harming the environment for centuries. Our rapid industrialization and careless large-scale consumerism, without any regard for the environment, has done immense damage to the planet. This behavior has wiped out countless species and natural habitats, and it continues to do so in the present day. With the ever-growing increase in air and water pollution, global warming, smog, acid rain, deforestation, and wildfires, the damage and long-term effects of our irresponsible behavior are becoming more apparent. People are becoming more aware of the inevitable loss of biodiversity, worsened air quality, increased temperatures, increased solar radiation, as well as several other issues that are direct results of pollution. Growing concerns in recent years have made us reevaluate our behavior and engage in more environmentally conscious behavior, in an effort to improve global conditions and prevent any further damage to our planet that would worsen the quality of life. A popular example of these efforts is engaging in conscious consumerism which is essentially making economic decisions intended to have positive effects on the environment and society. While some might say that conscious consumerism is a pointless effort that does very little to improve global conditions, I would argue that conscious consumerism is helpful because it improves global conditions by engaging in less harmful practices and its social impact can be used to achieve large-scale change.

Put simply, engaging in conscious consumerism is the best option for most people. There are countless methods to reduce the release of pollutants into the environment, so there are few if any constraints that make it impossible for us to engage in consumption that is better for the environment. Actions such as buying energy-efficient appliances, play a part in reducing air pollution as well as the waste of technology. Best Stated on eneregystar.gov “Most light switches and outlets pull electricity from nearby power plants. These power plants typically burn fossil fuels, such as natural gas and coal. A biproduct of burning fossil fuels is the release of greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide, which contribute to climate change. These power plant emissions also contain other harmful air pollutants, such as nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, and particulate matter, that lead to unhealthy air”. Many electrical appliances that we find across essentially every household in the world, are powered by harmful fuels that worsen the quality of air in both our homes and across the globe, resulting in health issues, destruction of ecosystems, and more. By using energy-efficient appliances, we can improve global conditions by using less of these fuels, which means releasing fewer greenhouse gases and effectively doing less damage to the air environment as a whole.

Many people who don’t engage in conscious consumerism, claim that it’s a movement for the elite that they can’t afford to participate in. Despite these claims, conscious consumerism is far from being unaffordable and reserved for the elite. In fact, I would go as far as saying that conscious consumerism is more cost-efficient than the everyday consumption of goods. The previously mentioned electric appliances help reduce energy use, so you would spend less each month on things like electricity, meaning that consuming energy-efficient products would be cheaper in the long run. Additionally, most common fuels are unsustainable and only available in limited quantities, so the price of fuels is bound to go up over time as well. Another example would be buying second-hand clothing. It’s cost-efficient and something that someone from any financial background can participate in. It also helps reduce clothing waste by lowering the demand for new and cheap clothing, opting for second-hand clothing instead that can be worn for a longer period of time. The fact that conscious consumerism can be better for the consumer from an economic standpoint, is an added benefit that incentivizes the adoption of conscious consumerism with personal gain. It promotes a preferable way of living that would benefit most people, while also benefiting the world as a whole, by protecting it.

While I do believe that engaging in conscious consumerism does benefit the environment and society as a whole, I must concede that it doesn’t actually reduce pollution by much. This is due to the fact that large corporations produce a majority of the world’s pollution, rather than the consumers themselves. Matthew Taylor demonstrates this in his article where he states “The Guardian today reveals the 20 fossil fuel companies whose relentless exploitation of the world’s oil, gas and coal reserves can be directly linked to more than one-third of all greenhouse gas emissions in the modern era. New data from world-renowned researchers reveal how this cohort of state-owned and multinational firms are driving the climate emergency that threatens the future of humanity, and details how they have continued to expand their operations despite being aware of the industry’s devastating impact on the planet.” Many of these companies are fuel companies that aren’t being held accountable for the damage that they’re doing to the environment. A small number of fuel companies like ExxonMobil are backed by large banks and produce copious amounts of plastics that result in a massive carbon footprint. As a result, we might see plastic accounting for 5–10% of greenhouse gas emissions in the future (Taylor). Here we see demonstrations of how wealthy organizations support one another and are capable of doing a great deal of damage to the environment, with only a small number of companies being capable of producing a third of the world’s pollution. When that’s the case the slight environmental benefit of one person engaging in conscious consumerism doesn’t make much of a difference, there will be large amounts of pollution regardless. That is why we must hold these companies accountable for their actions, in order to protect the world for everyone’s sake.

With that being said, I believe that conscious consumerism is the key to reducing the mass pollution caused by large corporations. I believe that the social impact of conscious consumerism is what will allow it to bring change, and overcome the power of large corporations. Dr. Andrew Forrest AO, chairman of the Minderoo Foundation says it best “ The current outlook is set to get worse and we simply cannot allow these producers of fossil fuel-derived plastics to continue as they have done without check. With our oceans choking and plastic impacting our health, we need to see firm intervention from producers, governments, and the world of finance to break the cycle of inaction.” Since producers are the ones producing the pollution and the world of finance is supporting the producers, Government intervention is the necessary step to reducing pollution. With government intervention, it becomes possible to implement things like a carbon tax, which is said to be the most efficient and powerful method of combating global warming and reducing air pollution. Raising the costs of fossil fuels would help reduce the overproduction of wasteful items that are bad for the environment, effectively lowering overconsumption in the world as well. Items such as single-use plastic bottles wouldn’t litter the streets as much, and companies might choose to make reusable water bottles in order to reduce expenses. It’s even said that “ But economists have long contended that raising the cost of burning fossil fuels like coal, oil, and gas is the best way to mitigate climate change and that revenue raised from the tax can be returned to consumers through rebates and dividends.” (Newburger) meaning that there aren’t any negative consequences for the people as well. Governments could also offer subsidies to those who can’t really afford to consume consciously, making it possible for them to help in the fight towards greater environmental health. We the people control some aspects of the government. We are the legislative branch, and we’re capable of voting. New bills can be proposed and we create government policies that benefit us and align with our beliefs. The reason why conscious consumerism is necessary in order to attain this is that it can unite the people. If enough people engage in conscious consumerism it creates social norms that people would conform to and make part of their own beliefs. Harvard Business Review states “ In one field study Republican residents recycled more after being told, “You can join the fight by recycling with those like you in your community. Your actions help us to do our civic duty because recycling is the responsible thing to do in our society.” (White) which demonstrates how easy it is to create social norms and get people to follow them. In addition to the use of social norms, the use of emotional appeal and logical reasoning can also persuade a large number of people into sharing similar beliefs, about something that would benefit everyone, aside from these large corporations. Even groups like republicans who typically don’t support environmental consciousness, complied fairly easily. Therefore, using the social impact of conscious consumerism to unite and influence others, makes it possible to attain government intervention which can help, reduce pollution and improve global conditions.