Humanity’s biggest footprint is due to what we eat and buy!

Aug 30, 2024

By Mary Madaleine
Climate change is about you, me, and our everyday lives. Heat waves make a sweaty mess. Rain is upgraded to torrential storms. Climate change has upended our lives dramatically. The relentless cycle of destruction leaves us in constant fear.

But the real villain here is our undying romance with consumerism. We are stuck in a loop of ‘Buy, Use, Throw’ repeat. Every product we buy, and every decision we make, has a ripple effect on the planet.

Consumerism has undergone a significant transformation from the pre-industrial era, where purchasing goods was driven by necessity and durability. With the advent of mass production, advertising, and credit cards in the post-industrial era, consumption became quicker and more convenient, laying the foundation for today’s habits dominated by online shopping, instant gratification, and convenience.

Consumerism is like a never-ending buffet where we keep filling our plates, not because we are hungry, but because of a mix of factors. Perception makes us believe that buying the latest gadget will make us cooler. Motivation whispers, “You deserve this!” Desires lure us with promises of pleasure and satisfaction, while emotions tug at our wallets — joy leads to celebratory splurges, boredom drives impulse buys, sadness seeks retail therapy, and excitement fuels our cart-filling frenzy. Societal pressures turn shopping into a competitive sport, where keeping up with the Joneses is a must. Together, these factors create the perfect recipe for consumer madness.

Advertising plays a critical role in this cycle, acting as a master storyteller that subtly shapes our desires and habits. Bombarded by ads across various media, we often buy into trends not out of necessity but due to an internal compulsion fuelled by these messages. This relentless persuasion cultivates a culture where consumption is not just a means to an end but an end in itself.

You might think, “What does this have to do with me? I’m not a shopaholic.” But let us look at a typical day. Imagine your morning coffee, trendy outfit, phone, and steak as tiny climate wreckers. That cup of coffee might have contributed to deforestation, your clothes came from pollution-spewing factories, your phone’s production drained resources, and that burger is linked to deforestation and emissions. Whether it is choosing what to eat, how to commute, what products to buy, or how we dispose of waste, each choice has a ripple effect on our planet. These seemingly small, everyday decisions accumulate over time, creating a profound impact on the environment.

To truly make a difference, we must focus on reducing our consumption to conserve resources, save energy, and cut down on waste. Simple changes in consumption patterns could significantly reduce global greenhouse gas emissions.

Doing nothing is not an option. The cost of inaction is far greater than the cost of acting. If we fail to address climate change, we face catastrophic global impacts. The urgency of the climate crisis is immense, and we are at a critical juncture where every decision we make will shape the future of our planet.

Climate change is not just a problem for governments and corporations; it is also a challenge for every individual. It is easy to feel overwhelmed by the scale of the problem and think, “What can one person do?” But change begins with us. Taking responsibi-lity for our actions sets the foundation for broader societal shifts.

As we journey through September, a time dedicated to celebrating Creation, let us pause to reflect on our impact on this world — the carbon footprint we leave behind. Commit to understanding our consumption and identifying areas where we can reduce it.

This call to action aligns perfectly with the Protect Our Earth, Protect Our Children (PROTEC) campaign by the Episcopal Commission for Creation Justice of Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei, which reminds us that safeguarding our planet is inherently linked to protecting our children’s future. Small changes, when multiplied by millions, can create a wave of transformation.

Together, we can nurture a healthier, more sustainable planet — starting with the choices we make today!

(Mary Madaleine, author of ‘Beyond the Cart’, is a parishioner at the Cathedral of St John the Evangelist in Kuala Lumpur.)