Milnickel 1

Megan Milnickel

Professor Z. Gregory

English Comp. II

4/28/2021

If you don’t need it, don’t buy it.

As someone who grew up with lower income, I can understand the hardship of keeping

up with trends and never being able to resist really good deals. But growing up without a lot gave

me a perspective that many people of my generation don’t have. I learned what to prioritize

when it comes to spending money and what I can thrift or make myself. Often times, people

purchase items for one time use, like plastic forks, rather than buying a set of silver ware, which

can be used repeatedly. This disregard for items with long term value has been detrimental to the

environment. One of the most concerning contributors is the fast fashion industry. They make

trendy clothes quick, cheap and easily accessible. The steady updates of products keep buyers

interested, which is great for their business, but ruinous to the planet. As the world grows older,

people are being conditioned through advertisements and media to buy unnecessary goods, and

though it might appear as an innocuous activity, the effects of over shopping is gravely

impacting the Earth's environment and wildlife, as well as supporting harsh working conditions

in countries across the world.

Whether we are aware or not, nearly every American falls into something called the

“consumer class”, this group of Indvidual's consists of “Approximately 1.7 billion people

worldwide,” (Maywell). People in the consumer class are classified as having “diets of highly

processed food, desire for bigger houses, more and bigger cars, higher levels of debt, and
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lifestyles devoted to the accumulation of non-essential goods.” (Maywell). The consumer class

has a taste for something that will never be satisfied, thus the constant spending sprees. Most of

the non-essential goods are made cheaply and give the consumer a “throw away” mindset, these

obsolete products include solo cups, plastic bags, and really anything that can be bought from the

dollar tree. So, when consumers buy low-priced, poor quality clothes from brands like Shein or

Fashionova, they receive the same “throw away” idea. This may not sound like such a bad thing,

but in the big picture we must consider where all these toss out items go. The main place is our

oceans. In fact, there are close to 46,000 pieces of plastic loose in each square mile of earth's

oceans, according to a new study done by UNEP. All forms of plastic are dangerous to the

wildlife that depend on the ocean, many creatures end up choking or getting tangled in the litter.

Not to mention, when plastic decomposes in the ocean, it releases unnatural toxic chemicals such

as bisphenol A and a range of polystyrene-based oligomers. These chemicals are responsible for

disrupting the hormonal systems of many species. This is important because most fast-fashion

products are made with synthetic fibers such as plastic, nylon, and other synthetic polymers. So

next time you throw out an old shirt, ask yourself if a barracuda might be next to wear it.

We currently live in a culture that is driven by technology; we are constantly pushed to

reach for the newer, better products. This desire to always improve, is labeled as evolution, but

leads to a multitude of waste. For example, every year there about 20 billion pairs of shoes

manufactured; in the same year, 104 million pairs were thrown away. Making one pair of shoes

produces “gobal warming pollutants equivalent to driving a typical car 17.4 miles.” (Green

builder magazine). So, in other words, each pair of shoes bought contributes to pollution just as

much as driving a car. Some people call it evolution, they say humans are supposed to develop

and evolve. But there is a drastic difference between advancing and keeping up with trends. This
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so-called evolution will eventually result in the extinction of over half the earths animal and

plant species by the year 2100... that’s 79 years from now. Imagine this generation explaining to

their grandchildren that the reason they will never see a living bald eagle or sea turtle is simply

because we could never resist the urge to buy new kicks every few months. The sad thing is, we

really can’t resist. Current generations are being conditioned to think that they need more martial

things to be content.

As far as wanting more, we can thank social media. Material objects like gaming devices,

entertainment media and clothes are continuing to grow in demand. Social media and YouTube

tell people what they are supposed to want. They outline an idea of perfection that is simply

unreachable. There is a theory called the social information-processing (SIP) theory, this idea

explores how individuals change their behavior based on the common attitude of their social

influencers. This theory was created after a study done at the University of North Carolina to

evaluate the impact of computers in human behavior. When it comes to young people, their

social influencers usually include parents, celebrities, older siblings, social media, and their

peers. People are constantly absorbing information and signals from their social influencers, at

home, school, work, and online. So, when it comes to consumerism and materialism, it's

basically second nature. At school, plastic utensils and highly processed foods are served every

day. This teaches children that disposable products are acceptable and have no consequences.

This implements the idea that processed, prepackaged foods are nutritious and sustainable. And

so on. Eventually, people get so caught up in trying to copy their social influencers, that when

they find an inexpensive, and quick way to mimic the popular look, they do not give a second

thought to its consequences. When shops including Shein, Zaful, H&M, PrettyLittleThings,

Forever21 and Fashionova, were introduced into modern media, they blew up. These stores are
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easily accessible on the internet and many malls, they typically include a body positivity policy

which makes all sizes accessible, and their ultra-low prices make shopping alluring. The

Consumer Class can’t get enough of the newest fast fashion. Social media stars make videos of

the clothes they buy from fast fashion retailers, in return the stores sponsor them or send them

free products. This encourages their followers to buy from the same brands. Author Rachel

Monroe explains how the pop culture rapper Cardi B partnered with Fashionova, and often wears

their products in her music videos. The brand Pretty Little Things has done Mutiple lines with

the Kardashian/ Jenner family, who have done nothing to speak out against the harmful

environmental effects of the brand. Partnerships like these are very successful because they use

an ethos approach on their targeted audience. The buyers trust that if their favorite singer or

model supports a brand, then it must be okay. Who wouldn't want to look like a Kardashian

without breaking the bank? However, there is a false sense of security in trusting these icons.

Fast Fashion is so cheap because products are made in countries with less strict manufacturing

laws, this allows workers to work for extensive hours, in conditions that would not pass

American standards, and don’t have restrictions against child labor. On top of that the clothes are

made with synthetic fibers. Yearly, they produce close to 20000 pounds of textile waste. And it

is predicted that this industry is “responsible for 4% of the world's greenhouse gas admission and

accounts for 20% of global wastewater” (Monroe). Four percent might not sound like a lot, but in

the grand scheme of things, that’s actually significant. As I previously stated, this waste finds its

way to the oceans and threatens animal life.

Across the world, and especially in France, the process of Fair Trade has been

implemented. This social movement is a fruitful solution to the negative environmental effect's

consumerism has. Fair trade ensures that smaller independent farmers, particularly farmers in
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developing countries, get a fair price for their produce. This allows them to compete with larger

leading farms. This keeps more farms in business, prevents monopolies, and lowers the use of

mass crop dusting. All these things combined benefit people and the planet. The Fair-Trade

system also provides resources for the development of medical and educational facilities in

communities that need them. It is fair trade policy to prohibit the use of child labor. Supporting

and donating to movements like this can have a tremendous impact on addressing the injustices

of traditional trade. As of 2012 “more than 6,000,000 people- farmers, producers, workers, and

their families- in around 63 countries benefit from the unique independent Fairtrade system.”

(Healy28). This movement reaches worldwide and improves general living conditions for

millions of people. The Fairtrade system has not yet become popular in the US, this is because

we have an “immature market”, this is because consumers don’t demand and thoughtfully seek

products with the official Fairtrade label. Consumers in the UK make a point to buy products that

are supportive of the movement. This is also due to the USA’s huge market; the Fairtrade

products can’t meet the needs of such a large audience. This is because the system was designed

primarily for the use of European culture.

Though it may appear as though we have no choice but to fall into this trap; there are

everyday tasks we can do to change the consumer mind frame. The thing that I have found to

help me the most is the quote “comparison is the thief of joy”, this means not to place yourself

next to other people in a way that makes you feel like you are less or more than they are.

Comparing yourself up, to things and people that are out of reach will make you feel inadequate,

this will rob you of seeing the beauty of the things around who and will make you less thankful

and proud of what you do possess. While comparing yourself down to anyone who has less than

you may seem great at first, you will get caught up in materialism and you lose the satisfaction of
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having objects. Another active way to overcome consumerism is to become aware of it, knowing

that the advertisements you see on the daily are designed to draw you in. Knowing that brands

and sellers don’t care about you, only your willingness to buy their products will give you peace

of mind not to shop from them. Also remember that one time is better than no time. This means

if you usually buy from Shein once a month, but then you read all this horrible news about them,

you decide to boycott them. Maybe you see something you absolutely have to buy, you might die

without this product, you cave and buy it. Don’t Give Up! Caving one time happens to everyone,

it’s just like a diet. So, remember, doing something most of the time is better than never doing it

at all. Buying from fast fashion once a year is better than buying from it once a month.

Eventually you will lose the urge to shop there, just Trust the Process of boycotting. Lastly,

consider the full cost of your purchases. Just because something is cheap for you to buy, might

have been made at the cost of someone in horrible working conditions or even a child. And

because you bought it so cheap, it will not hold a great value to you, and eventually you will toss

it out. A good way to conquer this is to make things yourself. You will find a deeper worth in a

bucket hat you learned to sew yourself out of an old t-shirt far greater than the one you bought

for $3 on Zara.

As the end of the line approaches, it’s vital to remember that almost all Americans fall

into the consumer class. With that in mind, it becomes easier to be self-aware of the habits that

have been implemented into the American consumer driven life. As the world grows older,

people are being conditioned through advertisements and media to buy unnecessary goods, and

though it might appear as an innocuous activity, the effects of over shopping is gravely

impacting the Earth's environment and wildlife, as well as supporting harsh working conditions

in countries across the world. Understanding the effects of over shopping is important because
 Milnickel 1

without knowing about the damage we have the power to cause, we will continue to make the

same mistakes. To evolve is not to keep up with the latest gadgets or shirts, to evolve is to mend

the corruption we cause and change our habits so as not to make the same errors.
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Works Cited
Anderson, Kip and Keegan Kuhn “what the health” Netflix, 2017,
http://www.netflix.com/title/80174177?s=i&trkid=13747225

Becker, Joshua“how to overcome Consumerism” How to Overcome Consumerism

(becomingminimalist.com)

Breaking Points.” Green Builder Magazine, vol. 7, no. 6, June 2012, pp. 16–27. EBSCOhost,
s
search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=h4h&AN=82989238&site=eds-
live.

Healey, Justin. Ethical Consumerism. [Electronic Resource]. Spinney Press, 2013. EBSCOhost,
search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=cat01128a&AN=scc.b1704428
&site=eds-l
Maywell, Hillary “Earth Suffers as Consumerism Spreads” 2004 arth Suffers as Consumerism
Spreads (nationalgeographic.com)

Monroe, Rachel. “Ultra-Fast Fashion Is Eating the World.” Atlantic, vol. 327, no. 2, Mar. 2021,
pp. 76– 84. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx? d i
direct=true&db=f5h&AN=148607124&site=eds-live.

Oakley, Richelle L., and A. F. Salam. “Examining the Impact of Computer-Mediated Social
Networks on Individual Consumerism Environmental Behaviors.” Computers in Human
Behavior, vol. 35, June 2014, pp. 516–526. EBSCOhost,
doi:10.1016/j.chb.2014.02.033.

VAJKAI, ÉVA KOVÁCS, and ÁGNES ZSÓKA. “Brand Avoidance Behaviour of Gen Z
Towards Fast Fashion Brands.” Vezetéstudomány / Budapest Management Review, vol.
51, no. 5, May 2020, pp. 39–50. EBSCOhost, doi:10.14267/VEZTUD.2020.05.04.