TOXICITY
Ever noticed how products today don't
seem to last as long as they used to? Do you frequently need to change your
Incandescent light bulbs? Or does the battery in your cellphone seem to die
after only a few years? Or is the hardware on your PC simply no longer adequate
for the newest games? Or cheap clothing that is discarded because it is out of
date? A rubber sandals thrown away after a few months use, a nylon raincoat
that is disposable, a straw for our iced coffee, a plastic bag for our takeout,
and a candy bar wrapper are all examples of out-of-date products with planned
obsolescence that, when looked at separately, appear to be harmless. These
modern conveniences are so ubiquitous—and so quickly thrown out—that they
hardly register in our minds. But these non-biodegradable items come with a
steep environmental price—one that we’ll be paying off for millennia.
Raising Consumerism promotes a culture
of disposability, where products are quickly discarded and replaced. This
problem is especially worse in Nigeria with rapidly growing urban areas. The
result in many cases is that garbage tends to pile up in waterways and on land,
creating serious health and environmental hazards and climate crisis.