As North Americans, we are constantly consuming.
It is common knowledge that we live in a capitalism-based economy, where ownership reigns supreme. But there are other places of the world functioning in the global capitalist economy who consume only a fraction of the amount that we do.
Statistics have shown that North Americans use 27 times more gasoline than other countries.
We wonder, if these other countries can prosper while using less gas, then why are we wasting our money using so much of it?
Another fun fact is that compared to South Australia, which is the driest region in the world and is also developed, North America still consumes more water per capita.
Economists have also analyzed our buying habits versus our overall happiness. We go to work every day to buy things to use in our spare time. Then we work harder to get more things, and better things. This leaves us with less spare time to use the things we buy.
Even though we accumulate more things, stress levels are higher, and those things are used less, which all contributes to declining happiness as we collect more stuff.
When all of these things are taken into consideration, it doesn’t make much sense at all, as to why we are overconsuming the way we do.
Cameron Ruether
and Daulton Kowtek
LTCHS
Red Deer