ON THE COVER

the culture of the culture of consumerism consumerism

Consumerism infatuated the United States for the first time during the industrial revolution. Since that era it has continued to be on the rise ever since, becoming a staple in our culture, especially during the holidays.

BY WEB EDITOR-IN-CHIEF LIV ZENDER AND FEATURES EDITOR BRIANNA LEGETTE

The History of Consumerism

Still prevalent in society today, the Industrial Revolution kickstarted the culture of consumerism in the late 1700’s. By the end of the 19th century, the United States was in the process of transforming from an agrarian society to urbanization and industrialization with major cities and corporations. Production and manufacturing greatly increased through factories and assembly lines. For this mass production though, corporations utilize fossil fuels as sources of power. During this time, exponentially more products were manufactured and advertised to the public, which in turn caused the demand to skyrocket. The goal was to crank out products as quickly as possible while also producing the most revenue. Before this time, there were not enough products mass produced for the general public - especially those who did not reside in the upper class. Individual desire eventually fueled consumerism and led to the transformation of the country to the way it is today with products being mass produced for people around the world.

Consumerism continued to grow due to the increase in mass production after World War I and World War II. According to BBC, United States production was 12 times greater in 1920 than in 1860, and from 1921 to 1929 household electricity went from 35% to 68%. This is likely due to soldiers coming home from the war and being reintegrated into society.

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The soldiers that were coming home and beginning to work again desired the comforts of middle class America, and contributed to the economy by both working and buying goods.

Advances in telecommunications like televisions and radio made it possible for companies to broadcast their products to the entire country almost every hour of the day. People could be reached faster and more consistently. They now had a wider range of products to buy, such as home essentials and clothes.

New media was a common tool used during this time to push propaganda. It was proven more effective to advertise products in television commercials than it was in print. TV shows such as “I Love Lucy,” “Leave it to Beaver” and “Father Knows Best” pushed for unrealistic standards for American living, including buying new products off the shelves. The content couples and families in these shows had the latest TV sets, cars, refrigerators and more. According to PBS, between 1945 and 1949, Americans purchased 20 million refrigerators, 21.4 million cars and 5.5 million stoves. This lifestyle continued into the 1950s. Being an American became synonymous with buying unnecessary items. Other household appliances and motor vehicles followed suit. This trend contributed to the exponential growth of the economy.

Companies profited off the “American Dream” and took advantage of the desire families had to live it. It became socially acceptable and even expected for families to buy the latest products and invest in the stock market as a strategy to upgrade their social status. Corporations fueled the ideology of replacing the old with the new, and it hasn’t stopped since. This was all seen as economical and life progress, but what was the real cost of it all?

As the population grows and the demand for newer products increases, many more developed countries depend on cheap labor provided by less developed countries to manufacture the goods being bought. It is no coincidence that everything bought at Target has “Made in China” stamped on it, although the majority of people do not comprehend the

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*out of 36 students polled* amazon SHEIN Etsy ZARA Princess Polly Lulus 8 8 8 9

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real meaning behind how these products were made or who made it.

The harsh reality is that while making these products, unskilled workers from less developed countries slave away in sweatshops under poor and dangerous working conditions that are exploitative in many ways. Due to increased demand for goods, there is a need for more cheap labor, according to TIME. In a hope to make any income for their families, these workers are put in a position that forces them to work under any circumstances including unsafe working environments, threats of punishment, and abusive employers. It does not help that automatic manufacturing replaces jobs, causing more people to seek work at a lower income than they should be receiving.

Workers in Bangladesh, China, India, and other developing countries work for such low wages because the goods the companies are selling have to be cheap. Rana Plaza, a garment factory which produced clothes for major brands in Bangladesh, collapsed killing 1,132 people and injuring more than 2,500 due to horrible conditions of the building. Also in Bangladesh, at another factory there were 35 incidents resulting in the death of 27 workers and 491 more becoming injured. One example of this work is in China where a migrant worker works $3 an hour to make a $750 iPhone.

It’s not just in these places, additionally in India there are children working on the fields of tea plantations. These plantations expose these children to hazardous chemicals. In addition to this, these workers are often paid so little that families have trouble affording necessities such as food and nourishment. Major corporations buy the tea for less than $5 a kg, but sell it to the consumer for over $250. People in developed countries do not realize when they buy something online or go into a store and support these corporations they are reinforcing these negative effects.

“Every once in a while I’ll buy some clothes. I have a habit of using fast fashion sites instead of using small businesses. I get a coffee every other day, and it’s the most consistent thing I buy.” freshman Greta Grosman said.

It is a natural inclination: people see that items are cheap, and so they buy them. Unfortunately, the fact is that this only forwards the global exploitation of cheap goods and cheap labor. It promotes consumerism because the cheaper something is, the more likely it is to sell. Corporations know this, and they use it to make the most money they can. Consumerism demands cheaper goods, but unfortunately it is the poorest people in the poorest countries that end up suffering from our desire and paying the highest price.

Consumerism is the protection or promotion of the interests of consumers, whose interests are often produced in mass quantities and sold at a low price. The question is how are all of these products being sold for so cheap? This is done through a combination of low quality and unsustainable production methods. It may be a tough pill to swallow, but some of society’s favorite go-to brands for quick, easy, and affordable clothes are likely the brands causing the most damage to the environment.

Ever shopped from Shein? Romwe? What about H&M or Forever 21? It would be surprising if the answer is no, as these are some of America’s most well-known brands. These brands’ affordability has led to increased interest, which in turn increases production. Brands like these allow consumers, especially those with a lower budget, to own their ideal closet without breaking the bank. But at the rate that trends come in and out, the turnover rate of these clothes is extremely fast. The cheap quality combined with the cheap price compels consumers to throw out clothes and replenish their closet as often as every couple of months. This is seen as a standard practice these days and the consequences and effects of these actions are not common knowledge.

“I don’t have very much knowledge of the environmental effect of fast fashion brands,” Grossman said. “But I do research the beliefs of the company, like there are certain brands that I won’t shop from if they’re homophobic or racist.”

Materials such as cotton, plastic, microplastic and viscose are some of the largest contributors to water, atmospheric and land pollution. According to the Princeton Student Climate Initiative, 20% of wastewater worldwide is attributed to the process of making cotton, which requires 10,000 liters of water to produce one kilogram of cotton and 3,000 liters to produce a single T-shirt. This manufacturing generally takes place overseas, usually in countries that lack strict environmental regulations. Loose or unregulated environmental laws often allow for untreated water to enter oceans, spreading extremely toxic chemicals. Most often, this type of pollution is irreparable. The higher the production, the increased amount of wastewater, the more water pollution. The

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DO you shop in person or online?

*out of 108 students polled* In-Person ONLINE BOTH EQUALLY

Paying the Price in Consequences

cycle just keeps going.

Director of Community Engagement at Scraps KC, Courtney Christenson said, “I used to work for a local clothing company, so I was really aware of the kind of waste issues in the textile industry and clothing, in particular. I think the EPA estimates Americans alone generate 16 million tons of textile waste every year.”

Additionally, since these products are made overseas, large shipping barges or airplanes must carry them thousands of miles to their destination. This also contributes to pollution- water pollution from shipping barges and atmospheric pollution and the decrease of the ozone layer from airplanes.

The fact of the matter is, consumerism and the habit of buying unsustainable and cheap products has risen in recent decades. The consequences of buying and throwing out millions of products has increased the size of landfills dramatically. The only solution to clear away the trash fast enough to make room for incoming trash is to burn it. While this is a solution and necessary strategy, it does not come without its additional consequences. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, particle pollution, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, volatile organic compounds, carbon monoxide and hexachlorobenzene are a few of the many toxic substances that are released into the atmosphere during the act of burning trash. These toxins have various harmful effects, such as damage to developing fetuses, cancer, liver and kidney damage, fatigue, vomiting, respiratory and cardiac problems, asthma, and more, on a multitude of different organisms, from fish, to the elderly, to the unborn, to birds, other various animals and more.

With consumerism being such a widely practiced habit, the knowledge of its effects on the environment should also be widespread. So before buying another unnecessary clothing item, plastic toy or random stocking stuffer, stop to consider the consequences that the production of this item had on the environment.

The holidays: a time of religious celebration, family gatherings and delicious food. Wrong. In today’s world, holidays are a time of rushed shopping, and frantic gift wrapping. The rise of indulgent gift giving has changed the way Americans view the holiday season. Instead of focusing on family traditions, people are worried about buying the best, most thoughtful gifts. Instead of learning about the history behind the holiday, family members are staying up late in an attempt to finish off the gift wrapping and ordering on Amazon before Christmas Day.

“Over quarantine I shopped all the time, everyday,online shopping. But now I’ve limited myself to once hopefully once a week and I just go to their store and buy clothes. If not, then I go on Amazon and just buy random stuff,” sophomore Lexi Teel said.

Because of this, rather than being relaxed during the holiday season, this consumerist mindset causes not only immense stress on parents and other family members, financially and logistically, it has detrimental effects on the environment and cheap labor workers all around the world. Fake Christmas trees, wrapping paper, Christmas lights. Recognize these well-known traditions? These are all customary events that have unnecessary negative effects on the environment.

According to Commercial Waste, the production of one kilogram of wrapping paper emits 3.5 kilograms of CO2 into the atmosphere. Additionally, in 2016, Americans threw away roughly 227,000 miles of wrapping paper. Plastic-based wrapping paper can only be broken down through heat, or the act of burning trash. This adds additional gas to the atmosphere, adding to the carbon emissions already contributed during the production of wrapping paper.

Another beloved holiday decoration is the Christmas tree. However, one’s choice of tree causes two very opposite effects on the environment. As one might infer, buying natural Christmas trees has a significantly more positive effect on the environment than a plastic tree does. According to Commercial Waste, the production of artificial trees releases the equivalent of 40 kilograms of greenhouse gases. The main material is plastic, contributing to the plastic and microplastic pollution around the world. Additionally, artificial trees are not biodegradable and can only be disposed of through incineration, which decreases the ozone layer. The ozone layer is essential to protecting life on Earth, and with each Christmas tree manufactured, more ozone depletion takes place. Another factor to consider is that most artificial trees are produced in foreign countries, such as Korea, Taiwan and China, and must be shipped thousands of miles to finally reach their destination. Natural Christmas trees on the other hand are biodegradable, have a lower carbon footprint due to shorter distances of shipping, and stabilize and protect soil before they are chopped down.

All of this being said, there are many simple things that people can take part in to help reduce consumerism and the environmental footprint of the holiday season, without cancelling the holiday season altogether. Buying real Christmas trees, using rechargeable batteries, decorating sustainably and buying environmentally friendly Christmas cards and presents are all ways individuals can reduce consumerism during the holidays. What do all of these products have in common? They are all reusable or biodegradable. Therefore once they are bought once, they can be used for years to come. Or if they aren’t reusable, they are still biodegradable, thus they won’t sit in landfills for hundreds of years.

“One of the [pillars of our mission] is the environment. We’re trying to divert as much waste from the landfill as possible. We capture supplies that would otherwise get thrown away,” Christensen said. Another strategy would be to buy a few high quality gifts instead of many small, cheap gifts. Unfortunately, it is the little knick knacks and stocking stuffers that are mass produced, mass purchased and mass thrown away. Lastly, buying local and sustainable gifts will reduce shipping emissions and are more likely to be made with more natural materials that don’t release large amounts of fumes into the atmosphere during production. These gifts are also more likely to be built to last a long time.

“How can I take this thing that it seems no one wants and make it something that people want or show people how it’s still valuable.”Christensen said, “Sustainability is about living within your boundaries...we can think about it in terms of physical stuff and resources. Am I living a life that is within the boundaries of the actual resources? Or am I borrowing resources from the future that I don’t actually have to get right now?”

‘Tis the Season

Taylor Swift released her second re-recorded album “Red (Taylor’s Version)” on November 12, 2021. “Red (Taylor’s Version)” was highly anticipated, especially “All Too Well (10 Minute Version) (Taylor’s Version) (From The Vault)” and features artists Chris Stapleton, Phoebe Bridgers, Mark Foster and Ed Sheeran. The album is composed of the same songs we all know and love with a more mature sound. Old fan favorites are the most noticeable; the squeaky high notes are gone and the re-recordings sound similar to the indie folk music Swift makes today. “Red (Taylor’s Version)” has a softer and slower feel to it and features nine new songs, most of which are highly emotional and are some of the best songs on the album. Swift threw in extra surprises, including a self-directed short film starring Sadie Sink and Dylan O’Brien, which follows Sink and O’Brien as they fall in and out of love, mimicking Swift and exboyfriend Jake Gyllenhall’s relationship from a decade ago. The emotional film sent tears streaming down thousands of faces. “It really hurts to watch the ‘All Too Well’ short film knowing that these are real events and real emotions that Taylor went through at 20 years old. I want to throw up everywhere,” @myheartredheart tweeted. Swift also teamed up with Blake Lively to create a music video for “I Bet You Think About Me (Taylor’s Version).” Directed by Lively, the video features Swift as the ex-girlfriend of a groom played by Miles Teller, whose wedding she crashes. “Red (Taylor’s Version)” is an incredible new and updated version of the album we all fell in love with back in 2012. Here they go again! Back with the glitz, the glam and the disco moves, ABBA released their first studio album in 40 years, “Voyage,” on Nov. 5. “Voyage” is the final studio album for ABBA and is on track to be the tenth number one album for the Swedish band. It sounds like the classic pop chorus of the band that we all love, and it feels very familiar. If you like ABBA’s past work then you will definitely enjoy this one. Those who may not be big ABBA fans, but love the “Mamma Mia” and “Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again” soundtracks will like “Voyage” as well. While the album has a slow start, it changes to the upbeat ABBA we all know and love about halfway through the album. One of the best touches of the album is a children’s chorus singing at the end of “Little Things,” a surprise Christmas song in the beginning of the album. This little touch makes the song feel very soft and gives it a homey sense, something that perfectly sums up a Christmas song with the beautiful piano and the gentle and slow lyrics. “Voyage” has an unexplainable nostalgia that accompanies it throughout the album probably because it is the last ABBA album that will be released; the final song “Ode To Freedom” is the absolute best way to end the album with the innate construction of the orchestra.

release radar

Do you know who I am? I’m Ed Sheeran.” Everyone’s favorite English ginger is back with his fifth studio album “=” released on Oct. 29. Sheeran’s hit single off the album “Bad Habits” was a hit in the UK, spending 11 weeks on the UK singles charts. “=” itself performed well and debuted at number one on the Billboard 200. Sheeran’s album is decent and it’s evident in the songs that the album revolves around his family. He sings about his wife in “First Times,” his late grandmother in “Visiting Hours” and his daughter in “Sandman”. The tracklist is organized in a way that doesn’t make it enjoyable to listen to. The songs go from happy to sad to upbeat to somber. This organization kills the vibe of the album; as soon as you’re feeling good and happy, you start to feel sad and get in your feels. Sheeran didn’t do a great job with creating a general sound for the album. “=” feels all over the place because there isn’t any consistency within the album. There are parts where you can barely hear him over the guitar and there are parts when his voice is clear as day. Overall, Sheeran’s “=” is not an album that is worth listening to in whole unless you are a big fan of Sheeran. Hello, it’s me. I was wondering if after all these years... you’d like for me to release an album. After a five year break, Adele released “30” Nov. 19, written during her divorce from ex-husband Simon Konecki. Adele’s single “Easy On Me” dominated the charts, raising excitement for the upcoming album, which has become the fastest selling album of 2021 in the US and the UK. The songs are beautifully written and the music has soul. The recurring theme throughout “30” is Adele’s self-discovery and the life lessons she learned from her divorce this past year. In the third song of the album, “My Little Love,” Adele sings to her son Angelo. She apologizes to him for the mistakes she has made, expresses her infinite love for him and tells him “Mama’s got a lot to learn.” Adele’s singing is replaced with brief conversations between Adele and Angelo in the verses of the song, where she opens up to her son about what she is feeling and what she has to learn in the future. Throughout the entire album, Adele’s extraordinary and unique voice is showcased, demonstrating that there really isn’t anyone like Adele. Her voice is so moving and filled with such passion and emotion that you feel everything that she is feeling when listening to “30.” The best example of Adele’s marvelous talent is “To Be Loved.” In the song, Adele’s voice is so captivating and impassioned that you cannot help but shed a tear or two and wish you could give her a hug. Adele’s “30” is arguably one of the best albums that has ever been written and it’s craftsmanship, pure emotion and soul perfectly demonstrate that Adele never misses the mark.

New albums from Taylor Swift, Adele, ABBA and Ed Sheeran are dominating the charts, but they’re not all worth the listen.

BY ELLE SIMON EDITORIALS EDITOR