We are devouring the planet at an impossible rate, as evidenced by the staggering fact that humanity now consumes 1.7 Earths' worth of resources every single year.
Key Takeaways
- Globally, humanity consumes 1.7 Earths' worth of resources annually
- The average American consumes 80 pounds of clothing per year
- World meat consumption has tripled since 1970, reaching 350 million tons in 2020
- World generates 2.01 billion tons of municipal solid waste annually
- Plastics make up 12% of global waste, 353 million tons yearly
- Food waste totals 1.3 billion tons per year globally
- Overconsumption causes $2.5 trillion in annual economic losses from waste
- Global cost of food waste: $1 trillion yearly
- Plastic pollution cleanup costs $13 billion per year
- Overconsumption of overconsumption leads to 20% higher depression rates
- Obesity affects 1 billion people globally due to overeating
- Ultra-processed foods linked to 32 health risks
- 45% of Americans shop online weekly, fueling impulse buys
- Global retail sales hit $27 trillion in 2022
- Fast fashion purchases: 60% more clothes bought than 15 years ago
We use too much, we waste too much, and it is destroying our planet.
Consumer Trends
145% of Americans shop online weekly, fueling impulse buys
Verified2Global retail sales hit $27 trillion in 2022
Verified3Fast fashion purchases: 60% more clothes bought than 15 years ago
Verified4Amazon Prime members buy 2x more frequently
Directional571% of consumers prefer convenience over sustainability
Single source6Global smartphone ownership: 6.6 billion devices
Verified7Black Friday sales: $9 billion online in US 2022
Verified868% of millennials buy on impulse
Verified9Streaming services: 1.5 billion subscriptions worldwide
Directional10Car ownership: 1.4 billion vehicles globally
Single source11Average household owns 300,000 items
Verified1240% of purchases regretted within days
Verified13Social media influences 54% of purchases
Verified14Global luxury goods market: $1.1 trillion
Directional15Delivery apps used by 60 million Americans monthly
Single source1675% of wardrobes unworn annually
Verified17Coffee shop visits: 2.3 billion in US yearly
Verified18Electric scooter rentals: 500 million rides in 2022
Verified19Subscription boxes: 10 million US subscribers
Directional2085% check phones 58 times daily
Single sourceConsumer Trends Interpretation
We've become a species expertly churning our own desires into instant, planet-wrapping parcels of fleeting satisfaction, all while drowning in a sea of our own barely-used stuff.
Economic Costs
1Overconsumption causes $2.5 trillion in annual economic losses from waste
Verified2Global cost of food waste: $1 trillion yearly
Verified3Plastic pollution cleanup costs $13 billion per year
Verified4E-waste management costs $62.4 billion annually
Directional5US spends $218 billion on packaging yearly
Single source6Global subsidies for overfishing: $35 billion per year
Verified7Fast fashion industry value: $1.3 trillion, but externalities $500 billion
Verified8Water scarcity costs economy $300 billion yearly by 2030 projection
Verified9Obesity-related healthcare costs $2 trillion globally
Directional10Global fisheries subsidies: $54.1 billion annually
Single source11Textile waste economic loss: $500 billion per year
Verified12Energy inefficiency costs $2.1 trillion yearly
Verified13Agricultural waste costs $1 trillion in lost value
Verified14Plastic production externalities: $200 billion annually
Directional15Car ownership costs average $10,000 per household yearly in US
Single source16Global meat industry externalities: $1.5 trillion per year
Verified17E-commerce packaging costs $20 billion extra yearly
Verified18Flood damage from deforestation: $100 billion annually
Verified19Healthcare waste management: $15 billion per year globally
Directional20Unused electronics value: $62 billion yearly
Single source21Global obesity costs: 2.8% of GDP
Verified22Fossil fuel subsidies: $5.9 trillion in 2020
Verified23Food overproduction costs $750 billion yearly
Verified24Overfishing economic loss: $83 billion per year
Directional25Americans spend $1,497 per capita on food yearly
Single source26Global advertising spend: $800 billion yearly fueling consumption
VerifiedEconomic Costs Interpretation
Our planet's most foolhardy expense report shows we've signed up for an active subscription to an idiot tax, one where we're somehow still paying to ruin the very things we're paying for.
Health Consequences
1Overconsumption of overconsumption leads to 20% higher depression rates
Verified2Obesity affects 1 billion people globally due to overeating
Verified3Ultra-processed foods linked to 32 health risks
Verified4Average American consumes 3,600 calories daily, 20% over needs
Directional5Diabetes cases doubled to 422 million from overconsumption
Single source6Heart disease kills 17.9 million yearly, linked to diet excess
Verified770% of US adults overweight from caloric overconsumption
Verified8Sugary drinks cause 184,000 deaths annually worldwide
Verified9Meat-heavy diets increase cancer risk by 17%
Directional10Fast food consumption triples stroke risk
Single source11Global alcohol overconsumption: 3 million deaths yearly
Verified12Sedentary lifestyle from consumerism: 3.2 million deaths
Verified13Plastic chemicals in food cause hormonal disruption
Verified14Microplastics in 93% of bottled water consumed
Directional15Overuse of antibiotics in meat: 73% of US supply
Single source16Sleep deprivation from screen overconsumption affects 1/3 adults
Verified17Caffeine overconsumption: 400mg daily average
Verified18Processed meat consumption raises colorectal cancer by 18%
Verified19Global tobacco use: 1.3 billion people, overconsumption driver
Directional20Air pollution from consumption kills 7 million yearly
Single source21Childhood obesity tripled to 39 million under 5
Verified222.5 billion people lack toilets, disease from waste
Verified23Pesticide residues in food affect 50% of produce
Verified24Global consumerism linked to 40% rise in anxiety disorders
Directional25US adults consume 57 gallons of soda yearly average
Single source2680% of world population breathes polluted air from industry
VerifiedHealth Consequences Interpretation
We are so industriously consuming ourselves to death that our global epitaph might as well be, "Came, saw, and overdid it."
Resource Depletion
1Globally, humanity consumes 1.7 Earths' worth of resources annually
Verified2The average American consumes 80 pounds of clothing per year
Verified3World meat consumption has tripled since 1970, reaching 350 million tons in 2020
Verified4Annual global fish consumption is 20 kg per capita, depleting 33% of stocks
Directional5Plastic packaging accounts for 40% of global plastic use, 141 million tons yearly
Single source6Global water footprint for cotton is 2,600 liters per T-shirt
Verified7Aluminum production for beverages uses 170 billion cans yearly
Verified8Annual global paper consumption is 420 million tons
Verified9Beef production requires 15,000 liters of water per kg
Directional10Global smartphone production consumes 50 billion liters of water annually
Single source11Humanity extracts 92 billion tons of materials yearly
Verified12Fast fashion produces 100 billion garments per year
Verified13Global energy consumption doubled since 1970 to 580 EJ
Verified14Palm oil production covers 19 million hectares
Directional15Annual global mineral extraction is 85 billion tons
Single source16Leather production uses 17,000 liters of water per cowhide
Verified17Global coffee consumption is 2.25 billion cups daily
Verified18Rare earth metals for electronics: 200,000 tons yearly
Verified19Annual wood consumption for furniture: 1.5 billion cubic meters
Directional20Chocolate production consumes 3 million tons of cocoa yearly
Single source21Global car production uses 1 billion tons of steel annually
Verified22Avocado consumption tripled in 30 years to 8 million tons
Verified23Lithium demand for batteries to reach 500,000 tons by 2025
Verified24Global wine consumption: 24 billion liters yearly
Directional25Soybean production for feed: 350 million tons annually
Single source26Annual gold mining: 3,000 tons
Verified27Copper consumption: 28 million tons per year
Verified28Global rice consumption: 520 million tons yearly
Verified29Synthetic fiber production: 70 million tons annually
Directional30Annual seafood consumption: 179 million tons
Single sourceResource Depletion Interpretation
We are living so far beyond our planetary means that the Earth might soon send us an itemized bill for back-rent and emotional damages.
Waste Generation
1World generates 2.01 billion tons of municipal solid waste annually
Verified2Plastics make up 12% of global waste, 353 million tons yearly
Verified3Food waste totals 1.3 billion tons per year globally
Verified4E-waste reaches 57.4 million tons annually
Directional5US generates 292 million tons of trash yearly
Single source6Global textile waste: 92 million tons per year
Verified7Packaging waste: 141 million tons of plastic yearly
Verified8Construction waste: 2.01 billion tons annually worldwide
Verified9Organic waste comprises 44% of global household waste
Directional10EU discards 89 million tons of food yearly
Single source11Global tire waste: 1 billion units per year
Verified12Battery waste: 500,000 tons annually from EVs
Verified13Cigarette butt litter: 4.5 trillion yearly
Verified14Global paper waste: 400 million tons per year
Directional15Plastic bags: 500 billion used yearly
Single source16Fast food packaging: 50 million tons annually
Verified17Household hazardous waste: 15 million tons in US alone
Verified18Global rubber waste: 20 million tons yearly
Verified19Mattress disposal: 20 million in US per year
Directional20Fishing nets waste: 640,000 tons into oceans yearly
Single source21Single-use coffee cups: 500 billion discarded annually
Verified22Global glass waste: 50 million tons per year
Verified23Electronics waste recycling rate: only 17.4%
Verified24Food packaging waste: 78 million tons in EU yearly
Directional25Annual banana peel waste: 40 million tons
Single sourceWaste Generation Interpretation
Our civilization has become a startlingly efficient machine for transforming precious resources into startlingly useless garbage, with statistics so vast they sound like science fiction but smell like a landfill.
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