In the past 10 years we have been on a binge as a global society.
We've consumed copious quantities of STUFF never before seen on Earth.
This has led to the alarming and rampant consumption of the Earth's resources.

What is the cost? And where are we headed?

What changes have you seen in the world in the last 10 years?
In which direction do you think we are headed?
Today we will answer the #EcoTrain Question of the Week.

("Dead Whale" in the Phillipines - this is an art installation, but representing a serious issue- #RefusePlastic)

This image highlights both the problem and the solution. By creating art with waste, new pathways are forged and we can look at our trash differently.

Heedless Consumption is Violence. Full Stop.

I hope this post triggers people and raises questions for all. This is not meant to preach, alienate or discourage, but to raise awareness and inspire action for the creation of a more beautiful world, one where waste management and conscious consumption is prized over convenience, ease, and possessing.

Most of us have an ideas of ways we could be ecologically sound, but it's a whole other story to put that into practice on the daily. The ease of consumption has increased along side our increasing disconnection from rhythms and cycles of the Earth. We are less in touch with the natural world and have access to easily consumable items.

In the following paragraphs, we will share alarming statistics related to our consumption, give tips of how to move forward to change these trends and give our hopeful prediction for the future.

(Tell-lie-vision makes it look like if we buy more stuff our happiness will increase.)

Consumption has been growing steadily over the last fifty years, but in the last 10 we have seen an incredible rise in the amount of stuff consumed on average. Humans are caught in a cycle believing consumption will bring them greater happiness or fulfillment- cuz why else would you buy all that stuff? Surely a human doesn’t need it to survive.

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Our consumption patterns have not been kept in check, nor has the waste associated with these patterns been addressed. We are running on fumes and our addiction to consumption is changing the landscape, both social and environmental.

Perhaps you've seen the Story of Stuff?

If not, please take a moment to watch this video.

Consider this:

The Global Footprint Network places the "Earth Over Shoot Day" of 2017 on August 2nd. This means that every day after that point we are running on a deficit and depleting the earth's resources while pumping more CO2 into the atmosphere. How would a business stay afloat in our capitalistic system if it in ran in the red from August to December? The thing about the Earth is that there are no bail outs, not bank to pardon debts or offer loans. This is our one shot.

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These are alarming statistics! We only have 1 Earth!

This is meant to be a wake up call.

Our actions, as always, speak louder than words.

How Many Earths Currently Needed to Support Current Consumption

This image demonstrates how many Earths are needed to support consumption habits of various countries. USA requires 4.1 Earth's worth of resources to support the country, while the United Arab Emirates would need 5.4! Clearly we cannot continue with business as usual without running up a severe ecological debt, the collection of which may have dire consequences. And yet, the past 10 years have continued on the path of increasing consumption without the check and balances to avoid disaster.

source of the last few stats

How much land does our lifestlye require?

This is a map of global foot prints showing how many hectares of land is needed per capita. How much land are you needing to meet your needs?

If you're curious as to where you stand, calculate your footprint here.

And we are filling our land and our oceans with our trash!

“Accumulations like this are unfortunately the norm,” he says, particularly in developing parts of the world where there are “rising middle-class populations along coastlines, and spending and consumption have increased, but waste management has not.” (source)

But... actions are being taken to help remedy this:

Though trash remains a global problem, Mallos sees reasons to be hopeful. In the United States, for example, California voters in 2016 upheld a statewide ban on plastic bags. And in Indonesia, he says, there has been a shift in awareness: “We’re seeing an eager and willing group of stakeholders who are trying to step up and tackle these issues.” Put another way: The tide may be turning.

We see the signs of our consumption all around us.

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And yet consumption rates continue to go up.

It seems that we're not really getting the message.

Violence is to do something willfully knowing it will cause harm. Have you ever thought about the link between consumption and violence?

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Humanity is Choosing Stuff Over People & Continued Life on Earth

Have we all seen the Material World book featuring humans from around the world with their possessions?

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Some people around the world live with little and are very happy & satisfied! Don’t believe the tell-a-lies reports!

Where are we headed?

It's really up to us!

Here are some trends we see that give us hope for the future:

We believe if we adopt these ways (and many more), there is incredible hope to change our fate. We are hopeful that many people are already becoming conscious of consumption and changing their ways.

One of the best ways to reduce trash is to reduce consumption!!

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• Make your gifts.
• Buy gently used clothing at thrift stores.
• Learn something new: read a book, get a new hobby.
• Cook food instead of buying packaged meals. This relates to the next one:
• Buy bulk food and store in reusable containers
• Become a producer of your own food and reduce your need to consume as many agricultural products.

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• Sequester your trash into plastic bottles making an Ecobrick.

These can be used to build houses, cisterns, buildings, etc. If you don't have need of them, make them and give them to people who need them.

Watch this video for inspiration:

• Practice Minimalism.

Books like the Life Changing Magic of Tidying give us hope and direction

There's a ton of information on the internet about minimalism. Watch a how to declutter your house and get inspired!

• Practice a buy nothing month or even a year

I did this in college and it forever changed my perspective on consumption. Now I only buy most of my things second hand.

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• Before you consume, ask yourself:

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Which Direction are we headed?

It's truly up to us!

We are in charge of our fate as humans. We are hopeful that people are getting the message and changing their habits and lifestyles. There are countless solutions to the consumption problem -- as many solutions as there are people, but it will take concerted effort. It may take a major catastrophe to really get the severity of these issues into global consciousness and change, but we're betting on humans getting the message soon!!

Which direction do you think we're headed?

Thanks for taking the time to read. Please leave your solutions below.