The demand for Labubus and Lafufus has gone up, and they are being bought in massive amounts. People and companies are buying vast amounts of products for resale or their personal benefit. But in the end, do you see yourself really needing them? Let’s talk about what overconsumption is and how it affects us and the planet.
Overconsumption is the exploitation of resources, goods and services beyond what is necessary or sustainable. With marketing and social pressure, people feel the need to buy into these trends. The overconsumption of global material has more than tripled since 1970, increasing from 27 billion tons to over 100 billion tons annually, according to the United Nations Environment Program. From the 100 billion tons of annually used global material, about 85% ends up as landfill waste.
Let’s talk about the Labubus and Lafufus. Pop Mart makes Labubus and there isn’t a single company that makes Lafufus; they are just off brands of Labubus. When you think about getting one, do you think about the cost of waste that the package leaves when you buy one? The packaging from Labubu is nonrecyclable and made from cardboard and plastic to keep the “blind box” effect.
People buy into trends largely due to psychological factors. For some, it’s the need to feel a part of a trend. They feel as though they would need to be accepted and belong, and don’t want to be left out. Some people buy into trends for views and attention on social media, or they buy into them because they have a fear of missing out.
The effects of overconsumption that can impact one’s health include obesity, stroke, mental health issues, type 2 diabetes and some cancers, which are due to high consumption of processed foods. Mental health issues that can be caused by overconsumption are increased stress levels and financial problems, which a different issues in it’s self. A focus on material possessions can be linked to depression and can create a cycle of compulsive buying to cope with emotions.
Overconsumption speeds up climate change, which leads to habitat destruction and depletes natural resources, while also causing severe pollution through waste in toxic products. According to EBSCO, resource depletion is the consumption of natural resources at a rate faster than they can be replenished, leading to scarcity. As the global population grows, the demand for resources grows.
Pollution is any harmful substance put into the environment that damages it and causes harm to living things. Water pollution occurs when bodies of water are full of harmful substances, like chemicals, microorganisms and trash. According to the World Health Organization, air pollution is contamination of the indoor or outdoor environment by any chemical, physical or biological agent that modifies the neutral characteristics of the atmosphere.
