From Stanleys and Owalas to bubble skirts, microtrends and the promotion of overconsumption is everywhere. But what is its real impact?
‘Overconsumption’ is exactly what it sounds like; Merriam-Webster defines it as “excessive consumption or use of something.” ‘Microtrends’ is a more informal internet term for trends that change rapidly and don’t leave a lasting impact.
With microtrends moving so quickly, we end up spending more than we need on clothes or items like water bottles, and when the trend is over, where do these items end up? Landfills.
“Landfills can generate methane, which contributes to climate change,” science teacher Ms. Kathy Freeman said. “When organic matter decomposes, methane is a byproduct of decomposition. It’s 25 times more heat-trapping than CO2.”
The sun’s rays are reflected onto Earth, and some of the radiation from the sun is released back into the atmosphere. But greenhouse gases, like methane, “trap” these rays from the sun, heating up the earth in all directions and directly contributing to climate change.
“Imagine these gases as a cozy blanket enveloping our planet, helping to maintain a warmer temperature than it would have otherwise,” NASA’s official website states.
According to author J.B. MacKinnon, the U.S. population has grown 60% since 1970, but overconsumption and spending have increased nearly 400%. We are using our resources 1.7 times faster than resources are able to be regenerated.
“Eventually, we run out of space,” Freeman said. “We have this finite amount of space, and we have an infinite supply of trash and waste that we generate, and we have to find some way to handle that waste.”
One way to handle this waste is by limiting the amount of microtrends we buy into and ultimately reducing our contributions to landfills. But because of social media, microtrends spread like wildfire, and with quick and easy online shopping sites like Amazon, reducing waste can be a difficult task.
“I use Amazon a lot, and just buy things that I could get elsewhere,” senior Levi Ouellette said. “So yeah, I’m definitely guilty of [overconsuming].”
Ultimately, companies and big corporations know how to feed products to us. But we as consumers have power, too, and we can choose whether we buy into it or fully consider overconsumption’s large-scale impact.
“Overall, being more aware of [overconsumption] is a nice first step,” Ouellette said. “Just thinking, do I really need this? Do I really need it in a day versus a week? Do I need to be shopping on Shein?”
The more we know about climate change, the more we can do to stop the Earth from continuing to heat unnaturally. But it’s also important to remember that microtrends and overconsumption are unfortunately very accessible, so if you’re reading this and feeling upset with yourself for letting this happen, all it takes is one change in behavior to help the planet.
Music teacher Mrs. Lindsey Reinhard-Silva thinks that we are not necessarily to blame for our tendencies toward overconsumption.
“We just have such an accessibility to it. If you’re scrolling on Instagram, it’s immediately there as an ad that you click ‘shop now’, and there it is,” she said. “I think it’s important to strike a balance of not beating yourself up, but also recognizing the impact it has.”
