We are Wasteful Creatures and it's Unsustainable

I was listening to NPR yesterday. I only caught a small portion of On Point in the car but Meghna Chakrabarti was discussing with various guests, the causes, costs and consequences of  our online shopping habits. The piece piqued my interest so I listened to the the whole show later on during naptime. I am glad that I made the time because it was a matter of fact but approachable conversation about the real issues that have come from our nation's increasing consumerism and online shopping habits.

You know how I feel about experiences over things and I try to encourage others to think about our footprints, both individually and as family units.  I feel it is something that a lot of people need to be aware of, the habits of each individual, adding up to cause massive damage to our Earth. As someone who has become increasingly more aware that things don't buy happiness and they certainly pile up in the home causing clutter and frustration, it has been a goal of mine to buy less, buy quality, shop secondhand and also be mindful about what I am donating to the Goodwill, Savers and Salvation Army (because our donations require resources). With so many people buying so much, we have fast become a society of consumers who buy just to buy, sometimes things we don't need, sometimes to fill a void, but are often wasting so much, sending it straight to the landfills.

"Things are so cheap that you just buy them and kind of don't think about it," The Atlantic's Alana Semuels said. "You kind of convince yourself that you need them. And you buy them online, they show up on your door two days later and then you have them. And if you don't use them you stick them in a drawer or you give them to Goodwill, and you don't think twice about it."

I really encourage you to listen to this piece. It's really done a great job reminding me to keep my family's footprint as small as possible, to do my best to curb my own urges to just buy crap I don't need. I have tried to think about every purchase I make, whether in person or online, to ensure that I am making the best decision for my family while also trying to make the best decision for our environment. It's a balance for sure but all it takes is a little brain+will power.

The piece hit so many interesting things:

Environmental Impact of Wastefulness
Consumption Rates
Instagram Influencers + Social Media
Shopping Addictions + Compulsive Buying
Higher Level of Donations and the effects at Goodwill
+ More

READ + LISTEN TO THESE:

6 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Buying
We Are All Accumulating Mountains of Things