Consumerism Essay Final Copy

Sharmina Brasseur
Ms. Houslander
ENG4U
March 13, 2015
A World in Environmental Peril
We cannot look out the window without seeing stuff all around us, nor can we look in our homes without the instruments of the material world meeting our eyes. We have everything we need and more. Then upon venturing out a little from home, we are met with the towering giant of consumerism. It’s shadow falls over nearly everything. This giant feeds off of our societal need to possess pure unneeded and unfulfilling stuff. The growing obsession with “keeping up with the Joneses” syndrome has caused a devastating depletion in our natural resources. With companies focusing too much on satisfying the growing demand for goods and services, they are ignoring the harmful effects. I never realized the harmful effects consumerism has on our planet, until one day this planet will no longer be sustainable to live on because of our stupid decisions. We are too caught up in the “lavish lifestyle” and we try to live like Kings and Queens, that we tell ourselves we need things that aren’t necessary to live a sustainable life.
As demand for textiles, food, coffee, and tobacco increases in wealthier countries, this is negatively impacting the overall environment in the third world countries. Large agribusinesses and companies investing in agricultural lands of the third world countries have resulted in land ownership to be limited. This kind of activity results in loss of jobs in developing world, where the entire rural economy depends upon agriculture. This induces the phenomenon of urban migration, in the developing countries, where the cities are already overpopulated. This results in slums and increase in crime rates and increase in health related problems in the cities. An example can be of Al Qudra holding investing in a part of Algeria to purchase agriculture land, where 23% of the local population lives below poverty line. Al Qudra intends to produce olives, potatoes and diary products, all of which it intends to export. Hence in a way, it is a new form of colonialism, where the third world developing countries are producing food for richer developed countries at the cost of welfare of local population in developing countries.
More over, lets not forget that multinationals which invest in third world countries have been in numerous occasions, involved in different scandals involving improper disposal of chemical wastes and lack of safety in work environments. Many times, this toxic waste negatively affects the local agriculture as the same water is used for irrigation purposes. This affects the wild life and their natural habitat and overall it increases health related issues in the local communities where these factories and manufacturing plants are located. However, the problem does not end here, most of the time, these very multinational companies that produce to satisfy the growing demand from consumers worldwide, have been involved in exporting toxic materials to the developing countries.
The demand for goods and services in directly proportional to consumerism, and to satisfy the high demand, countries need electricity. One of the most expensive and hazardous ways to produce electricity is by using nuclear energy, which unfortunately is prevalent in the developing world despite the fact alternative sources of energy such as wind and solar panels could be used.
The nuclear waste produced by nuclear power stations, that produce electricity, are a direct threat to the local community and even the entire region especially in case of a nuclear accident. In 2009,The Guardian newspaper reported one such series of incidents in certain Indian cities where nuclear power plants were located. Physical disabilities, and birth defects such as cerebral palsy started appearing in young children living the communities close to these power plants. This reinforces the fact, that nuclear waste is not only a threat to the local communities but also to the future generations. However in pursuit of consumerism, companies forgot the rights of local communities and their concentration is to satisfy the growing demand by producing more.
Furthermore with the increase in consumerism, the frequency of oil spills and plastic and chemical waste being dumped into the sea, has significantly threatened the marine life, sea birds and on a larger scale the whole environment. Oceans contain more than 97% of earth’s water resources and produce more than half the oxygen we breathe (Suzuki, David); yet these types of toxic plastic and chemical wastes are directly threatening what we can refer to as our lifeline and the lifeline of our future generations.
All these activities resulting from increase in consumerism and globalization are directly threatening not only our environment but also our habitat and the planet we live in. We need to raise awareness about these hazards in order to make sure that our future generations inherit a safe and healthy living environment. In my opinion, the awareness programs should be carried out through out government departments, private companies and in schools and colleges as after all the youth and children are the ones who will inherit our planet after us. With increased awareness I am confident that the harmful side effects of consumerism would be reversed and we would be able to protect our environment and our natural habitat.
Works Cited
Chamberlain, Gethin. 'India 's Generation Of Children Crippled By Uranium Waste '. The Guardian. N.p., 2009. Web. 13 Mar. 2015.
Globalissues.org,. 'Effects Of Consumerism and Global Issues '. N.p., 2015. Web. 13 Mar. 2015.
Oaklandinstitute.org,. 'Foreign Corporations Scramble To Buy African Land Raising Food Security Concerns '. N.p., 2015. Web. 13 Mar. 2015. 'David Suzuki: Stop Filling And Killing Our Oceans With Plastic! '. Theprovince.com. N.P., 2015. Web. 13 Mar. 2015.

Cited: Chamberlain, Gethin. 'India 's Generation Of Children Crippled By Uranium Waste '. The Guardian. N.p., 2009. Web. 13 Mar. 2015. Globalissues.org,. 'Effects Of Consumerism and Global Issues '. N.p., 2015. Web. 13 Mar. 2015. Oaklandinstitute.org,. 'Foreign Corporations Scramble To Buy African Land Raising Food Security Concerns '. N.p., 2015. Web. 13 Mar. 2015. 'David Suzuki: Stop Filling And Killing Our Oceans With Plastic! '. Theprovince.com. N.P., 2015. Web. 13 Mar. 2015.