Do We Have Too Much Stuff?

In a world where consumerism is the norm, we’re constantly buying new things. Whether it’s clothes, gadgets or furniture, we have a desire to update and replace our possessions. Some of us get rid of the old bits, while others choose to keep or ‘hoard’ them. But in both cases, these unwanted possessions are still somewhere on the earth. It begs the question – do we simply have too much stuff?

The rise of hoarding

Hoarding is by no means a new phenomenon. Some people have a problem letting go of things and instead choose to keep and collect them. It creates a problem for them, taking up space in their home. But there’s also a problem when they die, for those – probably children – who have to decide what to do with it all.

However, the more serious problem is the hoarding we’re doing as a planet. The more pens, pans and patio furniture we buy, the more there is being produced. And when unwanted possessions are thrown away, they don’t just disappear. Other than disposal by burning, which usually emits harmful chemicals, we’re basically hoarding by default.

An ever-growing technosphere

The collective term for these possessions is the “technosphere”. This is defined, in a recent study, as the “summed material output of the contemporary human enterprise”. It’s been made worse by the constant advent of new technology – TVs, phones and computers – which make us feel more compelled to replace our current possessions. But essentially, it includes everything that is produced by humans. And it’s only being recycled in a very small part.

Because of this, it’s constantly increasing. The new study, in fact, has estimated the total at 30 trillion tonnes. To put that into context, it’s around 50kg for each square metre on the surface of the Earth. It’s even more shocking when compared to the combined mass of humans themselves, which is estimated at 506 million tonnes – around 60,000 times less than the products we have amassed.

Concerning for the environment

It’s all well and good estimating that there is far too many things on the Earth, but these problems have very real implications on the environment. If you’re interested in environmental concerns such as air pollution and the related health effects, you may want to attend the 2017 Air Quality and Emissions event in Telford. Taking place on 24th and 25th May, the event has free entry to a number of exhibitions and workshops with several conferences on offer too. For more information, see the article ‘Perfect timing for Air Quality & Emissions event’