You are likely contributing to overconsumption in ways you may not realize.
Among the practices that are gradually destroying the environment, overconsumption is one of the most important and least discussed. We are using up our planet's resources faster than they can be regenerated, and the impact of overconsumption on the environment and health makes it clear that we need to make quick and serious changes to continue living on Earth.
What is overconsumption?
- Overconsumption occurs when people consume more resources than are produced.
- It is most often measured at the national, continental or global level.
- Using resources at a faster rate than they can be regenerated will eventually run us out of resources.
Is overconsumption getting worse?
- According to the Guardian, we consume the planet's resources 1.7 times faster than they can be regenerated.
- In 1961, humanity only needed 0.74 Earths to support consumption levels.
- Population growth and overconsumption have contributed to this change.
- Between 1985 and 2005, worldwide resource extraction increased by about 50%.
- US consumer spending has grown by 400% from 1970 to 2021, while the population has grown by only 60%.
How does food contribute to overconsumption?
Meat consumption has increased significantly:
- In 1961, the average person in a high-income country ate about 123 pounds of meat a year.
- In 2020, consumption increased to 199 pounds of meat per year.
- A third of all food on the planet is lost every year.
- About a quarter of all animals killed for food are never eaten.
- 50% of food loss occurs during the production process.
Who is most responsible for overconsumption?
- 20% of the population consumes 80% of the world's resources.
- Richer and more developed countries are responsible for most of the consumption.
- The average person in North America consumes nine times more natural resources than the average person in Africa.
Consequences of overconsumption
- The World Wildlife Fund in 2002 declared that the Earth "will expire by 2050" without major changes in consumption rates.
- The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development predicts that by 2050, polluted air will kill three times as many people as it does now.
- Plastic in the ocean is expected to quadruple over the same period.
- The Millennium Alliance for Humanity and the Biosphere warns that global oil reserves may be completely depleted by 2052.
The impact of overconsumption on the environment and health
- Brazilian rainforests have been leveled to produce timber and to develop mining and agriculture.
- Niger Delta has been destroyed by oil extraction:
- It causes acid rain, destroys crops and pollutes water sources.
- Residents suffer from breathing problems and chronic bronchitis.
- Cancer rates are much higher in the delta.
- Life expectancy in the Niger Delta is only 40 years.
- Peru: Copper mining and smelting have polluted the air so much that 99% of children have lead poisoning.
- Brazil: Almost 20% of the Amazon has been deforested:
- Massive soil erosion, loss of biodiversity and increased CO2 emissions.
Overfishing and its impact on overconsumption
- Overfishing has put over a third of all sharks at risk of extinction
- About a third of all fisheries are now at risk of depopulation
- Overfishing has put thousands of people out of work, as in the case of Canada's Grand Banks in 1992
- The seafood industry is one of the biggest offenders when it comes to food waste.
How to limit your overconsumption
- Consume less:
- Use reusable containers and products
- Buy food in glass containers
- Use hybrid or electric vehicles
- Reduce meat and dairy consumption
- Start a plant-based diet.
- Spend less money on all products, whether they are green or not
Overconsumption is a complex and important issue to address. We all need to consume to survive, but the environmental and health consequences of overconsumption are clear. Without making a difference, overconsumption will destroy our ecosystems and possibly humanity's ability to live within them.
