“Want a break from the ads?” Spotify’s silky voice asks, urging you to invest in Spotify Premium – yet another ad, claiming to end all ads. This isn’t necessarily the first ad of the day you’ve encountered. Maybe you saw an ad while scrolling through TikTok earlier, maybe a blur on the side of the highway during your journey to school. According to USC, the average person encounters roughly 5,000 ads per day, a whopping 900% increase from the 500 ads on average a person was shown in the 1970s.

Just a walk through Times Square will prove that the active role consumerism plays in our lives. Bombarded by a myriad of brightly colored pixels wedged on top of endless rows of shops, it’s near impossible to not feel the tug of desire for material things, in the heart of our capitalistic society.

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In this digital age, consumerism is becoming increasingly easy to participate in. With a click of a button, an item is added to your cart, and with another click, it’s purchased. According to Medium, “In the digital age, consumerism has evolved even further. Online shopping platforms have made it easier than ever to make purchases with just a few clicks. The convenience and accessibility of online shopping have fueled our desire for instant gratification. We no longer have to wait in long lines or travel to physical stores; everything is just a few taps away.” We no longer have to feel the physicality of a transaction - the clinking of coins or counting out cash, the swipe of a credit card - and we can feel less guilty about our purchases from the comfort of our homes.

Along with convenience, the internet is a connector, allowing us access to anyone, from Kim Kardashian to the auntie you met once seven years ago. Each post reveals something you don’t have, a new product that's making headlines, the latest device model. With this access comes the great responsibility not to be jealous of the customized cars and designer bags and beauty products.

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The Stanley Quencher rage and Sephora children are prime examples of mindless consumerism - impressionable young minds subjected to advertisements and influenced to chase the trends: the modern day Keeping Up With the Joneses. The whole point of a reusable water bottle or thermos is to, well– reuse it, not collect 50 of them in different color shades. With blemish and wrinkle-free 8 year olds lathering peptide-filled moisturizers and slathering eye cream under their eyes, sure, Drunk Elephant is making a killing…while also killing the environment.

These children don’t need hyaluronic acid and salicylic masks, but they purchase plastic package after plastic package. Products fly off the shelves due to virality; there is now a significant demand, increasing production (materials ex. plastic), shipping (gasoline and petrol), and carbon footprint.

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It’s not just the beauty industry either. Fashion plays a big role in contributing to waste, especially fast fashion. According to Earth.org, 1.92 million tonnes of textile waste is produced each year, and that number is only set to increase. From Shein to Temu offering clothing for extremely cheap and affordable prices, the customer doesn’t have to contemplate, think twice, and ponder before clicking the buy button.

The advertisement methods of these companies such as the infamous $750 gift card only leads to the buying and production of cheap, poor-quality clothing that will inevitably end up in a landfill by the end of the year.

“Good quality” fashion wear isn’t excluded from environmental harm contribution either. Oftentimes collections of designer or brand name wear is meaningful on the most superficial level. Sneakerheads proudly display their collection of Jordans, and closets are dedicated to different leather Birkens; Are these really necessary?

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Even things that some may consider a “necessity” can contribute to environmental concerns. Your daily coffee every morning is still using a different disposable cup each time, no matter how eco-friendly. The food you Uber Eat and Doordash still emit carbon with every delivery.

Personally, I know how hard it is not to give in to consumerist culture. When ads from TikTok influencers are shoved down your throat, promising to solve all your problems or elevate your life in unimaginable ways, you really just want to click that "Buy now" button. I have a hard time leaving things just sitting in the digital shopping cart, and separating wants and needs is hard in a culture that thrives on the latest trend.

At the end of the day, I ask myself whether I'll actually use the product and what utility I will gain from purchasing the product. It's a battle of instant gratification and the dopamine rush of "new!" versus the health of our planet.

So start really evaluating your spending choices. Pause and think before you impulse buy. Do you really need that new product or is it just trendy right now?

Invest in things that will continue to bring you contentment even in the long run. Let’s start being mindful consumers, to help your environment and your planet.