Ever since the Industrial Revolution, mass production has fed into mass consumption in an ever-accelerating cycle with both positive and negative effects. Consumerism has been the fire that fueled many of our great accomplishments in the last century, but it has also created many of our biggest challenges. Pollution, climate change and the destruction of important natural habitats are just a few problems created in part because of the ever-increasing demands of rampant consumerism. Such a systemic problem requires systemic changes to counter it. There are lots of large and small ways to combat the negative effects of consumerism, just as there are lots of large and small ways that consumerism can hurt the world.

Affecting Your Body

Our constant need to consume can have a negative impact right at home in our own bodies. Consuming too much food leads to obesity, and the chemicals that allow that food to grow more, grow faster, travel great distances and sit on our shelves longer can cause all kinds of health problems. Making conscious choices to be careful about what you put in your body is a good place to start, and it begins with educating yourself. Read the ingredients list on your food, and keep up with the latest research before you dive into any health craze. Check Thrive reviews and look at other lifestyle changes that can help keep you happy and healthy.

Depleting Resources

By definition, consumerism relies on consumption. This often means the consumption of natural resources. For non-renewable energy sources like gas and coal, that means that there is the likelihood that one day they will be completely used up. Even semi-renewable resources, like trees and other plant matter are put in danger, since they are often consumed faster than they can grow back. There are lots of ways to counteract the depletion of natural resources. Opt for energy from renewable sources as much as you can and seek out sustainably sourced products wherever possible. 

Creating Waste

Consumerism also creates huge amounts of waste. Because the economy depends on customers constantly buying more things, those things are now often designed to break after a certain amount of time, forcing you to buy a new one. This is called planned obsolescence. There's only so much one can do to combat planned obsolescence, but there are small ways to work around it. Repair rather than replace your electronics where possible, and don't throw out clothes if they can be patched or tailored. Recycling is another way to reduce your own personal waste footprint. 

Contributing to Pollution

Pollution is, in many ways, just another form of waste. Factories are concerned with producing as much as they can as fast as they can, not protecting the environment. As a result many of them create huge amounts of pollutants that poison our air, our water, and even our soil. While you do contribute to pollution by driving a car and you can reduce that pollution by taking public transport or walking, the vast majority of pollution comes from companies and manufacturers. The only way to effectively combat that kind of pollution is through comprehensive legislation. Call your representatives and legislators to see what they're doing to reduce pollution. Even if you can't get traction on a national level, investigate what your local government is doing to protect the environment. 

Destroying Habitats

Between waste, pollution and resource depletion, many persisting habitats are being destroyed by consumerism. This can take the form of forests being cut down and wetlands getting drained, but ocean habitats can also be destroyed by plastic waste, and migratory birds can be impacted by pollution in the air. The destruction of natural habitats can be countered by all the methods mentioned above, but also by the simple superpower of taking the time and energy to care about these issues. 

It may feel like the few small changes you can make won't make a difference, but the truth is that lots of little changes will have a greater overall effect than one big change. Every little thing really does help.