On consumerism and throw- away culture

Hey internet folks! This is a little piece (rant) that I wanted to post to highlight the throw away culture we live in and the problems it causes.

What is a throw-away culture?

Throw away culture is the society we live in. It is the constant upgrading of technology, the landfill waste we produce daily, the dumping of our trash into the ocean, and food waste. In nature, everything created has a purpose and everything is reused or recycled. It is a circular process, not a linear one.

Why is throw- away culture a problem?

Throw- away culture is an issue for many reasons. Firstly, US food waste emits 170 million metric tons of CO2 per year. And that is just the tip of the iceberg. Our banks are some of the largest contributors to fossil fuel production plans. If you want some resources about green banking check out https://bank.green/ for more info. As we continue to dump plastic into our oceans- 8 million pieces daily- it accumulates and makes its way up the food chain. As plastic is consumed by fish and smaller organisms, The plastic is then consumed by larger organisms (including humans) until it has made its way up the food chain. The average person consumes 1 credit card worth of microplastic per week, which is known to cause cancer and neurodivergencies.

How do we end throw- away culture?

The first thing we can do is be mindful of our individual impact on the environment. And the best way to do that is by using the 5 Rs.

1. Refuse- don't buy and don't accept items that don't serve you as you will ultimately throw them out and they will not be used.

2. Reduce- reduce your reliance on fossil fuels and single- use products

3. Reuse- reuse what you have, especially containers

4. Repurpose- find a new way to use what you have

5. Recycle- whatever can be recycled should be recycled, but try to avoid your reliance on recycling, as only 9% plastics are actually recycled.