How mass consumption affect envirnoment - Essay Example

Nowadays, higher degree of greediness amid general people to acquire wealthy and modern lifestyle has resulted in the mass consumption of goods. The social structure allows individuals to affect the consumption patterns of the economy as a whole, which results in massive environmental degradation. Thesis Statement The paper will intend to provide an explanation toward the theoretical perspective of mass consumption followed by comprehensive analysis of its impact on the environment. Theoretical perspective towards mass consumption Consumption is the procedure by which commodities are put to final utilization by the people in a particular economy.

The procedure of consumption begins with the accumulation of natural resources and then progresses through development and distribution of the offered commodities to the ultimate users. Hence, the direct impacts of consumption are reduction of natural resources and creation of wastes which negatively tend to affect the environment (Goodwin, Nelson, Ackerman & Weisskopf, 2008). The mass consumption pattern persisting within an economy is often observed to generate significant challenges for the environment.

The major characteristics of the activity include consumption patterns that are unbalanced among people even within a common society depending upon individual purchasing power. The mass consumption of goods majorly comprises food, cars and power among others. With respect to food products, it can be observed that almost 20% of the entire global population of rich people consume almost 11 times more meat compared to the 20% of the poorest group of the world populace. Similar circumstances can be observed with regards to the consumption of cars and power.

Besides, the increasing number of middle class people and their consumption level is also a matter of concern for environment owing to the mass consumption activities (Michaelis & Wilk, 2006). Impacts of Mass Consumption on Environment Mass compaction has impacts on the natural environment both directly and indirectly. The direct consequences of mass consumption are led by the immense use of renewable natural resources in the form of grains, sea foods, forests and water. The indirect consequences of mass consumption can be identified in relation to the processes of mining, manufacturing, processing, and shipping of products executed within the economy.

Similarly, the indirect impacts of mass consumption majorly comprise increase in the level of wastes and hazardous emissions due to manufacturing and transportation of products resulting to environmental damage in watercourses as well as that of air (Michaelis & Wilk, 2006). With the pursuance of international economy and a continuous increase in the number of population along with their consumption demand, it is quite likely to exert additional pressure on the environment in future days. However, with global expansion in the trend of knowledge-oriented economy and services, the environmental pressures are observed to be transforming from its traditional appearance.

In traditional agricultural civilization, certain chief environmental problems were developed because of increasing population densities with inadequate infrastructures, and by the unregulated practices of international organizations. In modern industrial civilization, people are enhancing their abilities to control pollution by a certain extent with the improvement of infrastructure for water and power