The trend of consumerism among people would contribute to natural resources depletion and environmental devastation, while there are some measures that could be taken by governments and individuals for the environmental sake.
On one hand, by the advancement of technology and the appearance of social media such as Instagram and YouTube, many companies have invested heavily in advertising through social media. Celebrities and famous people, through the regular promotion of new products, efficiently impact consumers’ behaviors, which has contributed to excessive packaging for luxurious products, which are all waste, also leading people into a consumerist lifestyle. This over-consumerism trend would lead to resource depletion, more industrial waste, and, as fossil fuels are the source of energy in most industries, this would also cause more greenhouse gas emissions. Therefore, all would lead to air, water, and soil pollution plus endangering natural habitats, and causing climate change.
There are several measures that could be taken by the governments to reduce environmental damage. States can legislate laws to restrict industrial emissions and impose rules to invest in alternative renewable energy resources such as wind and solar systems instead of fossil fuels, albeit it needs a sum of money to allocate. The government should also increase public awareness of the dire results of all kinds of pollution and climate change. This way, they can ask people to choose sustainable products and change their shopping behaviors. Increasing demand for sustainable products would drive companies to produce sustainable products, which are environmentally friendly and can be recycled.
In conclusion, although there are unhealthy promotions that guide people through wrong trends and over consumerism, the governments’ positive measures like leveling up people’s knowledge about the harmful consequences of over consumerism and encouraging to purchase of sustainable products would be highly effective in reducing environmental devastation.