I am a firm believer that sometimes just enough is actually too much. We as Americans overuse, over consume, and overly waste so many products on a daily basis. Bigger, better, faster, stronger. We want it all and we want a lot of it. After all, who doesn't want the best of everything!? Well, maybe some people truly don't. Is it really necessary to buy closets full of clothes that will be worn seasonally and thrown out 365 days later? Is it necessary to pay someone to let you lift heavy objects and run in place for hours on end? Do we really need to have a television set in every room, along side of our laptops, cell phones, and ipads? Do we need copious amount of food stored in several refrigerators, freezers, and storage compartments throughout our already overly spacious houses? Some people may answer yes to these questions, but once all of these materialistic things are put into perspective, they don't seem like such necessities after all. One of the biggest problems we are facing now days is definitely...hands down...over consumption.
There are a lot of things people can do to reduce the amount of over consumption. The biggest problem in my household is buying too much food at once, and then it expires and we throw it away. Actually, let's rewind that and press play. To correct myself, my FATHER is the reason that there is a fairly large amount or small grocery store in my garage. My dad sees a sale at the store and is convinced that the item will never be that ridiculously inexpensive again! Talk about a crazy notion, but this is a type of problem that occurs all of the time. We have an idea that we can save money by purchasing in bulk or numerous items at once. Though this may be a good idea, it isn't the most practical option in the long run. Things expire and they go bad and sooner or later you will have to discard these items. Not only are you wasting the food itself but you are also wasting the packing that comes along with most of these products. Almost every single item that comes off of the shelf is packaged and made from some kind of aluminum or plastic. Even if you are discarding them by recycling the cans and plastics, you are still probably pouring the food in the trash or down the garbage disposal, using more water to ensure it goes down the drain. It is all just a vicious cycle. This problem is not just for food, but it applies to many different aspects consumers enjoy purchasing sporadically. A very good way of reducing the chance of over purchasing is not going to the store until you need the items. Once you are running low on a product, check the adds that weekend to see if there are any good sales and pick up only what's needed. And for those impulse items that you purchase on a whim, try waiting an extra week. The extra time spent pondering the item will give you a chance to put it into perspective and make you realize if it a want or a need.
What can I do personally about the over consumption problem? Well I can start by using more of the food my dad purchases and spend less on going out to restaurants or grabbing easy foods or beverages on the go that usually involve lots of packaging. I can also encourage people I know to spend less on items that they don't actually NEED. Instead of going out for a cup of coffee with a friend, I could invite her over and make coffee and some deserts for us to munch on. I have to admit I am a sucker for long showers on really cold winter days, but I could soak in a hot bath instead of sitting in the shower while the water continues to run for a long time. Or I work at a gym and instead of using the water from my household, I could use the hot tub or steam room that we have at my gym to warm up. Remember, there are always alternatives for anything!
The most interesting thing that I have learned this quarter would definitely be the current event project I did on antibiotic resistance from environmental pollution. I always knew that doctors were constantly doing research and coming out with new medication for diseases, viruses, and bacterias. However, I wasn't aware that the majority of the research was because our antibiotics being discarded improperly were causing the bacteria to be immune to the antibiotics and we need stronger medicine to rid the bacteria from our bodies. Another interesting thing that I learned was the argument between bottled versus tap water. I was amazed that the FDA stated that the water standards are exempt from those who bottle the water and sell them in the same states. I thought that was extremely ridiculous that not all bottled waters had the same standards. We assume that what the packing states on the water bottles is completely true. But a good amount of bottled water is actually regular tap water placed in the water bottle packaging. There were many interesting facts I learned this quarter in Environmental Science and I strongly encourage that everyone takes the time to experience one of these classes very soon!
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