WOODBURY- Take a scroll through Instagram reels or TikTok for just 10 minutes. You’ll likely see video after video showing off or advertising hauls of new clothes, gadgets, or aesthetic products. Sometimes people disregard this sort of media, and don’t think anything of it. More often than not, however, it pressures people and convinces them into buying the latest trend.
This leads to a phenomenon that can be described in one word: overconsumption.
Overconsumption in this day and age is frequently associated with the excessive purchase of random objects, typically things people don’t need and go out of use.
Oftentimes people don’t even realize they are the ones that fuel the overconsumption epidemic. It is masked as a positive thing that because other people are doing it, so should you. Influencers are called influencers for a reason.
Freshman Lily Rich admits she was a victim of a social media trend that spread rapidly in 2025.
“I am ashamed to admit,” Rich says, “I was one of those people that collected Labubus.”
What started off as one, quickly evolved into a full collection for Rich.
“When I first unwrapped my Labubu and didn’t get the one I wanted, I was set on buying another, so I did,” Rich says. “This cycle kinda kept on going until the Labubu craze died down, and when it did, I realized that I didn’t have any actual uses for them.”
After people realize they don’t need the new product, they move on to the next latest trend, and often throw out the old one.
This is where the real danger of overconsumption comes into play.
Lee Whalen, director of the Ellis Clark Regional Agriscience program and leader of the Envirothon at NHS feels there are many different problems the environment could face that stem from the disposal of unwanted products.
“One of the biggest reasons why consumerism is dangerous is that the products are made out of plastic, and plastic is causing a lot of issues especially in the environment that causes a lot of health-related issues in the future,” Whalen says.
Not only are humans affected by this plastic waste, so are animals.
“Plastics also cause a lot of issues with wildlife habitats, especially within our oceans,” Whalen says. “It’s been a huge thing because that’s where a lot of these plastic products end up. It’s often washed away into our tributaries, which could affect water quality in the future.”
Plastic takes over 400 years to decompose according to the World Wildlife Fund. Even after it decomposes it never really goes away, existing in the form of microplastics.
There is no reverse or quick fix to ending the damage already done by overconsumption. However, there are things that could stop or reduce the waste.
“The first step is for people to actually realize that this is an urgent issue, and be educated on the effects of consumerism,” says Whalen.
Overconsumption is still prevalent and probably will be for many years to come. So next time you feel the urge to invest in the latest trending product, think to yourself: is this just an impulsive purchase that everyone else has or will I actually benefit from this?
