“What consumerism really is, at its worst is getting people to buy things that don’t actually improve their lives.”
Jeff Bezos, Amazon
A new Netflix documentary called “Buy Now! The Shopping Conspiracy” is an eye-opening look at our consumer culture and the harm it causes. Former insiders from big US brands like Amazon, Adidas, and Apple dish about how companies manipulate the public into buying excessively and continuously. The irony of that Jeff Bezos quote is breathtaking!
Our excessive consumerism
Today’s marketing strategies are sneaky smart, and are getting better all the time through data mining and AI algorithms. Targeted marketing, social media influencers, free and fast shipping, and the ease and instant gratification of online shopping are just some of the factors leading to excessive consumerism.
As an aspiring minimalist I put a lot of thought into every purchase I make, but if I’m honest with myself, the marketing magic on Instagram worked on me. At times, I have felt compelled to buy things that I regretted later because they didn’t improve my life. Can you relate?
Its disastrous consequences
The second theme of the movie explores the impact of all this shopping. Every single item we buy has to be produced, packaged, and shipped (either to us or to a store). Each step along the way uses energy and resources, emits heat-trapping gas, and creates waste. Fast fashion is a known culprit, but excessive consumerism overall is a huge contributor to climate change.
Once we stop using a product, it either joins the ever-growing amount of junk we store, or ends up in a landfill. Further, because there is plastic in nearly everything – including clothing – it may live there forever. Donating and recycling isn’t as helpful as we think. An estimated 90% of the plastic we recycle ends up as garbage, and the same goes for much of our donated clothing.
A few shocking stats from the movie:
- Americans throw away 65% of our clothing within one year of purchasing
- Every six days, we create enough textile waste in the US to fill the Mall of America!
- The world produces 400 million tons of plastic waste and 62 million tons of electronic waste each year
What can we do?
Marketing strategies, especially on social media, are incredibly powerful. Being aware of the manipulation at work helps us be more in control of our purchases. On the surface, social media seems like a free way to connect with people…but nothing is free. If you’re unsure what the product is, you’re the product.
Every time we make the choice to avoid buying something we don’t need, we save ourselves money, reduce waste, and help solve climate change all at once.
One final note…
In case you missed last week’s article, I am asking for a minute of your time to give some feedback on Unheating. Thanks to all who responded already!
Let’s do something about climate change. Learn about it. Talk about it. Help solve it.