3/21/2023 - politics-and-society

The impact of mass consumption on our eco system

By melina mazzitelli

The impact of mass consumption on our eco system

For several decades, we have lived in an economic system that involves a consumer society that leaves us immersed in purchasing goods and services quickly. Although these are necessary to cover our daily life needs, how many of these products we really get them? The same act of endless consumption generates an excess of production that becomes greater not only unfair in its distribution and in societies, but also in the environmental impact and damage of the ecosystem that we inhabit.

If you can now look around you, between the corners of your home, there is something you keep for a long time, that has no use at all, and passing through if we deepen a little further in this aspect, how many times you wonder about the particularities of the products you use in your cotidianeity, clothes, backpacks that lead to work, or mobile. I mean, who or who made it? How many resources were used to reach your hands? Where was it manufactured? How or in what context?

These questions that, in their reading, seem simple, allow us to be aware and have a responsible attitude of what comes to my hands, understanding how it happened and knowing how our habits that we incorporate innately can affect our planet.

The well-known culture of waste from consuming to then taking is not an option because these waste generated can stay for a long time in the environment without decomposing due to the material of what is manufactured.

ARGENTIN CASE AND PLANTICAL USEIn Argentina we produce approximately 1 kilo and a half of garbage per day per person, imagine multiplied by the total population of our country. And where does the “basura” go once we take it to the black taco? No, it does not disappear, but ends in spaces made available where it buries by compacting its volume. The well-known sanitary pads. But is this an alternative that implies taking responsibility for what we generate?

The raw material most used for most of the things we consume is plastic, this material can take from 100 to more than 1000 years in biodegrading, which is not usually total, but remains in the form of microplastics that we end up incorporating them sometimes through food.

In addition, post-consumption residues, not properly managed, become “basura” and cause a percentage of the Invernate Effect Emissions (GEI) that cause environmental problems on Earth.

_What can we do?

If you are reading this article, inform you is critical to start changing, and go transforming your current consumer habits, becoming a more conscious and responsible consumer. This is little by little.

Since my place, I think it is much better to find several people performing small changes, but with the genuine interest of being a transformer of our current environmental situation.

In the first instance, can we start analyzing and dealing with our waste, be more present in what we consume daily, what quantity, how many bags of garbage bag in the day? What's in it? By doing this we begin to take dimension of what and in what proportion.

On the other hand, in the moments you can double-click on those things you use daily, and what you have, repress you really need it? Can I change it for a sustainable and less impacted product? What I no longer use or have kept in the back of the closet, is there anyone else who can give a second chance before considering discarding it? We have to compromise and get used to consuming less and choosing better.

Also the separation in origin in our homes is an activity that we can do. Although on many occasions I find myself wondering whether what I do really serves or not, or what (being that may be insignificant compared to the big producing companies), I reaffirm that it is very important. Ello, because we are not only helping the materials not to end anywhere, but that can be treated properly, become again part of a productive chain and be used as a resource. Today in the City of Buenos We have different green spots where we can take our waste.

Today, we are living a present intervened by fires, droughts, floods, high heat waves or sudden temperature changes, product of different factors that have affected our planet for a long time. Today we can be part of the change, whether chic or not, the sum of individual wills, as well as collectives lead to a greater transformation. There is no need to lose hope of building a more inclusive place, living in harmony with our environment, because yes, if it is possible to think about a regenerative economy and the common good. Do you add up?

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melina mazzitelli

melina mazzitelli

Hi I am Melina, Lic. in Social Management and Organizations with orientation in Third Sector of the Metropolitan University for Education and Labour (UMET). I have a training in Project Management, Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainability in UNSAM with a Diploma in Sustainable Development, RSE and New Economies EN Escuela Argentina de Negocios. Freelance consultant on sustainability, Project Manager and Data Analyst. I developed in the coordination of educational and social projects in the public administration, and several years ago I professionalized in the triple impact ecosystem. I am part of the team that promoted Banca Ethics Latin America and is part of El Núcleo, a leading organization in New Economics.

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