by Revathi Gopalakrishnan
Project Profile This project was initiated to create awareness about the social issue of over consumption and to get people to change their perceptions about it and be aware of the ecological footprint that they are leaving behind. This is a global issue and something that transcends national boundaries and cannot be resolved by any one country acting alone. We often assume that matters of great importance that result in cultural trends and social divisions, cannot be changed by a single individual acting alone. But we have to realize that our everyday life is the wider picture. And initiating a change in our attitudes towards the way we consume things can bring about a change in how and what we consume which in turn would lessen our contribution to our ecological footprint.
Situation Analysis Everything we buy has an impact on the environment. 17% of the world population are consuming over 80% of the earth’s natural resources, causing a disproportionate level of environmental damage, and an unfair distribution of wealth [1]. Our resource use is increasingly outpacing the sustainable capacity of our ecosystem. A prolonged pattern of overconsumption leads to inevitable environmental degradation and the eventual loss of resources [2]. We live in a world of surfeit stuff, of big-box stores and 24-hour online shopping opportunities. Members of every socioeconomic bracket can and do deluge themselves with products. Experts believe consumerism and all that it entails — from the extraction of resources to manufacturing to waste disposal — plays a big part in pushing our planet to the brink [3]. This campaign aims to highlight the environmental and ethical consequences of consumerism and over consumption.
Project Objectives This social campaign is called “The Culture of Want� and discusses various issues that are related to over consumption. My main objective in initiating this project is to make people see things in a different point of view. People always assume that social issues are way beyond their control and there is nothing they as an individual can do to make any difference. As an individual it is easy to get overwhelmed by these issues and think that it is not possible for one person to make a difference. This project aims to show that our attitudes in everyday life can play an essential part in solving social issues. By creating this campaign I am hoping to create awareness about over consumption and engage the audience to do their part to stop this excessive accumulation of materials.
Target Audience The project is directed towards young adults. Demographics The age group of 20-30 year olds is selected as the target audience. Males and Females are equally targeted. Psychographics This group falls into Generation Y/Millennial who are considered to be part of a generation called Generation Me. They need motivation and encouragement to make changes to their attitudes about consumption.
Key Message The key message is to create awareness about over consumption and get people to change their perceptions about it and be socially responsible.
Initiative The whole initiative revolves around the concept of juxtaposition. By juxtaposing various issues and symbols that are directly related to over consumption and consumerism, it is possible to change their context and give it a strong meaning. This initiative is created to support the United Nations Environment Program that aims to provide leadership and encourage partnership in caring for the environment by inspiring, informing, and enabling nations and peoples to improve their quality of life without compromising that of future generations.
Deliverables Posters A series of posters about over consumption is created. Some of the themes for the posters are listed below • • • • • • • • •
Sustainability Degradation Indulgence Carbon Footprint Consumerism Media Brainwashing Water Scarcity Deforestation Over shopping
Phone application A stuff-tracking app is created which helps users keep track of the things that they purchase. By keeping a track of the things we buy daily we become more aware of the things we consume. The app is very easy to use and there are various options provided which enables the user to view the things they purchase on a daily, monthly and yearly basis. The app also has in built tips and tricks that will help with the problem of over shopping and over-consumption.
Creative Desired visual identity Perception of this issue is a critical part of the project because what will be presented is not an explanation; rather an image that enables the viewers to think more deeply about the underlying message. My main goal is to give people a different point of view regarding over consumption and how it affects our environment. Design style The art direction will be revelatory, or else people will see but will not comprehend what the message is. Therefore by juxtaposing the various issues surrounding over consumption it will be possible to change their context and create a new and revelatory experience for the audience. This is an illustration-based project and negative space will be an important factor. Single clear illustration with strong colour and message. Design and perception The desired visual identity for this project to reflect the following • • •
Revelatory Intriguing Contemporary
This is different from the current perception of the event. The current identity is more image based but this project will be based more on illustration.
Stuff Tracker App To make the distinction between our needs and wants whenever we make a purchase.
The Culture of Want - Stuff Tracker App A simple app to keep track of the stuff you buy everyday! Keeping a track of the things you purchase will make you more aware of buying things that you might not need.
The Concept Tracking purchases not only helps you with overspending, it also helps with overshopping. Everytime you purchase something you are posed with an ethical question of wheather you need it or want it. This app lets you keep track of how many things you buy and makes you more aware of the things you consume.
Personal Account Create an account to access and back up your data anywhere and anytime.
Username Password
Stuff Tracker App
View View your purchase list to display daily, monthly or yearly purchases.
Daily Monthly Yearly Today T-Shirt Coffee Breakfast
19.90 1.90 3.20
Yesterday 22/4/13 21/4/13 20/4/13
Organize your purchase Categorize your purchases under need or want for easy access and know under which category you buy things that you don’t need.
Here are some tips to stop overshopping!
75%
Use Cash - don’t let credit cards make you a prisoner. Pulling your card out too many times could desensitize you to the money you are spending every single time you swipe your card.
Graphs
Tips
Get a graphical view of your Need Vs Want purchases to give you an idea of your shopping habbits.
Tips and tricks to help you stop overshopping are inbuilt. The tips are given along with a graphical representation of the consequence of overconsumerism. The user is provided with an option to purchase the wallpaper with all proceeds going to the United Nations Environment Program to conserve our resources.
Posters “We are facing a stark choice: Save the planet and ditch consumerism, or save consumerism and ditch the planet.�
Index
Status driven conspicious consumption thrives from self importance. Valuing materialistic things more than the well being of our planet has resulted in reducing our natural resources considerably.
Excessive materialism makes us relinquish control and we surrender to the powerlessness of self and end up prisoners of consumerism.
This is a story about us people, being persuaded to spend money on things that we don’t need to create an impression of prosperity. But shouldn’t prosperity be more meaningful and less growth based?
Wasn’t everything better back when everything was less? We need to control our need to own things, with more choice comes less satisfaction.
The things that we buy quickly change from novel to normal. The material things that we accumulate not only takes up our physical space, but takes up our mental space as well.
Overconsumption leads to unnecessary complications. Having a supersized house with lawns to mow, gutters to clear, floors to vacuum translates into our house and our things being something that we are constantly chained to.
Housing sizes in the devleoped countried have increased substantially. We take up more than three times the amount of space than we did 60 years ago. And the number of people who live in these supersized houses have become less.
Enormous consumption has global, environmental and social consequences. Most of the environmental problems we currently face are driven by human activity. Time is slowly ticking away for our resources unless we do something about it.
Clearing of our forests to meet the excess demands of the consumer class will take a toll on the Earths supplies. Overconsumption is undermining the natural system of the world.
Wasteful use of resources is depriving the worlds poor to meet their basic needs. Our consumption rate is undermining the environmental resource base.
The impact of overconsumption is very significant to all aspects of our lives as well as our planet. Striping away the resources now, will leave our future generation with very less or no natural resources.
In the United States, there are more cars on the road than licensed drivers. Increased reliance on automobiles means more traffic, more pollution and more use of fossil fuels.
The demand for crude oil and petroleum results in drilling for oil underwater. There have been many instances where oil spill into the environment which has resulted in water pollution and has been the cause of death for many aquatic animals and birds.
Industrial pollution is one of the leading caused of pollution in the World. Demand for more products have led to mechanized means of production, allowing for a much greater volume of production, and as a result generates an increase in pollution.
Coal is valued for its energy content. Coal mining can result in a number of adverse effects on the environment. Surface mining of coal completely eliminates existing vegetation, destroys the genetic soil profile, displaces or destroys wildlife and habitat, By mining excessively we are digging our own graves.
Our overconsuming habits have had a major toll on our environment. Meeting the demands for food has led to resource depletion, low biological growth rates, and critically low biomass levels. Overfishing is the result of such unbridled consumption.
Water is vital for all forms of life. Although 71% of our planet is covered with water, it is becoming scarcer, and its availability is a major social and economic concern. Water is a finite resource and overusing of water harms our entire ecosystem.
Water pollution affects plants and organisms living in these bodies of water. In almost all cases the effect is damaging not only to individual species and populations, but also to the natural biological communities. Polluted water is as good as wasting water.
Heavy exploitation of land and water leads to barren land where plant growth is sparse and stunted. The less trees there are the more damaging it is to our environment and it directly leads to global warming and climate change.
If our overconsuming habits do not change then it is inevitable that time is running short for the planet and for ourselves. The goal is not to focus on sacrifice, but on how to provide higher quality of life using lowest amount of raw materials.
Bibliography [1] ‘Social & Economic Injustice’. World Centric. Accessed Jan 2016. <http://worldcentric. org/conscious-living/social-and-economic-injustice> [2] ‘WWF: human consumption is outpacing earth’s capacity’. Last updated 14 Dec 2014. Accessed Jan 2016. <https://www.euractiv.com/section/sustainable-dev/news/ wwf-human-consumption-is-outpacing-earth-s-capacity/> [3] Shah, Anup. ‘Consumption and Consumerism’. Global Issues. Last updated 05 Jan 2014. Accessed Jan 2016. <http://www.globalissues.org/issue/235/consumption-andconsumerism>