This episode originally aired on June 12, 2024.
Becoming more conscious consumers is a pivotal step in building a more sustainable economy, but how do we deconsume in a consumerist world? When we buy less, we save money, cut down on clutter, and lower our emissions. This collective shift has another big impact — helping us to steer the economy away from disposable products, unsustainable resource use, and dangerous supply chains.
On this episode of Second Nature, we hear listeners' take on overconsumption and their tips for deconsumption. We also chat with climate activist and educator Lauren Bash about Buy Nothing groups, Repair Cafes, and her own deconsumption journey. Plus, we find out who's doing all this overconsuming and the impact it's having on the rest of the world.
🌎 To see photos of our contributors as well as citations, and further reading, check the full show notes.
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A great way to cut down on overconsumption is to get a handle on what you’re consuming. If you want a sustainable spending buddy to help you track the emissions of every purchase and gives you personalized tips, try the Commons app.
Episode credits
- Listener contributions: Alyssa Barber, Amea Wadsworth, Andrea Reno, Caitlyn Luitjens, Daria Panova, Jonas Schäfer, Mac Hansen, Madeline Streilein, Nicole Collins, Rachel Orenstein, Timmin Vooijs, Willa Stoutenbeek
- Featuring: Lauren Bash and Sanchali Seth Pal
- Editing and engineer: Evan Goodchild
- Hosting and production: Katelan Cunningha
- (00:00) - Introduction
- (04:06) - Overconsumption is everywhere
- (06:47) - Why does stuff make us so happy? We ask our community
- (10:05) - How do we overcome overconsumption? We ask Lauren Bash.
- (22:33) - What is the big-picture impact of all this stuff we’re buying? And what are we doing with it?
- (28:16) - Outro