‘Tis The Season of Mass Consumerism and Environmental Degradation

‘Tis the season - shoppers are flocking to malls (or more accurately, logging onto Amazon) to spend untold amounts of money on apparel, electronics, and various gadgets in preparation for the holiday gift-giving season.

As children, we were commonly taught the maxim, “It’s the thought that counts.” But does the thought only count if it is the latest iPhone model, Airpods, and sixty dollars worth of brand-new clothing, all wrapped up in plastic packaging and a disposable bow?

The truth is that the winter holiday season has been defiled by capitalism. While the holidays were once a time to rejoice in each other's company and celebrate mutual generosity, the consumerist aspect of Christmas has grown to dominant the entire months of November and December. Over-consumption is at the core of environmental instability, and the holidays are the epitome of mass consumerism. Our purchases each holiday season fund plastic pollution, carbon emissions, and unjust labor practices. 

Globally in 2018, consumers spent over 1 trillion dollars on holiday retail sales. The average US household spent $1,536 during the festive months of November and December. An estimated one-sixth of all retail purchases occur due to Christmas, and every year, more and more of these purchases occur online. Societal phenomenon such as Black Friday and Cyber Monday have served to normalize unprecedented consumption. Environmentalists who recognize the link between rampant capitalism and climate change have begun to wonder - what are we even celebrating anymore?

The seemingly innocent gifts that we place under our Christmas tree may have a dark past, intertwined with unsustainable agriculture, unsafe working conditions, or child labor overseas. Packaged neatly on a shelf in pretty plastic boxes, thousands of miles away from where they are produced, Christmas shoppers can stay far removed from the reality behind their purchases.

Recent trends away from consumption have been relatively successful in gaining traction, namely the movement to avoid single use plastics such as straws, utensils, and water bottles. Yes, avoiding single use plastic is important, but what about the non-single use stuff that still eventually finds its way into the waste stream? What about the plastic that our purchases inevitably will be packaged in?

Every consumer good that we buy will eventually need to be disposed of. The life of a product extends far beyond our relatively short time with it. 

The fast fashion industry and the tech industry, both of which enjoy massive profits every December, are prime examples of a heedless waste cycle. Clothing, which is no longer made to last, is discarded by consumers at twice the rate of fifteen years ago. As consumers are pressured to stay on top of the ever-changing trends, the average article of clothing is worn only 7-10 times before it is disposed. Discarded clothing winds up in landfills releasing methane and leaching toxic dyes into the Earth.

Technology has fallen into a similar waste pattern; the average American replaces their cell phone every 2.92 years. Although Americans are holding onto their phones for longer than previous years, globally only 12.5% of electronic waste is currently recycled, and 152 million phones are thrown away every year.  Electronic waste can release toxins into the water and soil that are harmful to ecosystems and humans. 

While online shopping offers lower prices and a greater number of options for consumers who may want to purchase biodegradable items or support sustainable businesses, the energetic cost of packaging and transporting an item across the country - or the world - likely outweighs the benefit of purchasing that product in the first place. Additionally, the lower prices online do not reflect the negative externalities of large-scale shipping operations.

So how have corporations manipulated us into believing that it is necessary to purchase their product? Entire sectors of business have been devoted researching how to trick consumers into purchasing their products. They rely on manipulating consumers through clever pricing tricks as well as subtly effective emotional manipulation. During the holidays in particular, consumers are especially prone to feelings of guilt, loneliness, or nostalgia. Corporations prey on emotionally vulnerable consumers by appealing to their emotions through carefully structured advertisement.

By now, you may be wondering what you are supposed to give your beloved friends or family during this gift giving season. If everything is packaged in plastic and all of our money is just funneling straight into the pockets of CEOs, should we just give up on the gift-giving tradition altogether?

There are plenty of sustainable gift ideas, however, research has shown that receiving gifts is actually not what makes people happy during the holidays.

Researchers who studied what actually makes people happy during the holidays found that a focus on materialism is associated with decreased well-being during Christmas. Those who emphasized family time and spiritual pursuits felt an overall greater well-being and sense of satisfaction with the holiday season. The things that actually make us the most happy during the holidays are still free, and they don’t come wrapped in plastic. The gift of an experience, such as a concert ticket or a trip to a nearby National Park might create a sense of fulfillment that doesn’t fade away come January. Spending quality time with friends and family, volunteering, or enjoying time outside are joyous traditions that don’t harm the planet. 

This holiday season, you can make a difference by thinking critically about your purchases. Even if your heart is in the right place, a generous gift could do more harm than good. Challenge yourself to show your loved ones how much you care about them without a new purchase. In the spirit of giving, give the Earth a gift, and opt out of the mass consumerist craze.