Chapter 6 Overconsumption, and then?

by Eda Şeker

Abstract

For a long time, we burdened our environment with our insatiable greed, we wasted precious resources, we kept asking for more and more, and we kept buying. At what price? Of our lives. Of our health. Our quality of life. Welcome to the year 2176, a world plagued by contaminated water, unbearable heat and crop failure, toxic air, and people with lost decency. In this world, where people long for the old days and are conscious of their guilt, there is a glimmer of hope during this apocalyptic situation. It is a curse and a blessing at the same time: the companies. Now it is their time to shine as the pioneer humankind needs and improve the critical situation with the latest smart technology.

The Secretary-General of the United Nations, Ban Ki-moon, once said: “We are the first generation to be able to end poverty and the last generation that can take steps to avoid the worst impacts of climate change. Future generations will judge us harshly if we fail to uphold our moral and historical responsibilities”. If only everyone had such a determined attitude towards it. At that time, everyone had the same thought, at least hypocritically. Remember all those companies that made poor changes for the sake of their reputation and declared themselves eco-conscious? Remember the riled-up youth who marched on the streets every Friday to demonstrate against global warming? Well, this gave us the impression that we were capable of straightening everything out after all. It started promisingly, and it ended miserably. Soon the number of participants in the protests dropped rapidly. Schools forced their students not to miss classes. Businesses saw this as an opportunity to sit back and replay the old madness. As if that was not enough, they added to it: with constant enticements, such as reduced prices, they rushed people into a buying frenzy. Excess consumption blinded us, we knew that, and yet we gave in to it. The inner voice inside us took the upper hand, some would call it greed, but beast describes it better. Those companies knew what our guilty pleasure is and shamelessly exploited this. Eventually, they turned us into their greedy puppets. This marks the beginning of our catastrophe.

Imagine a world where the life we know, what we are used to, will not exist anymore. Now recall what your life is all about. Family, friends, school, university, your first job, colleagues, or your retirement? The daily routine you kept doing and following for a long time, be it for work or school. The surrounding you live in, the familiar faces, buildings, and maybe also landscape. Celebrating birthdays together, witnessing the changes in the seasons, or meeting with your friends in your favourite park. All of these are parts of our lives. Now imagine if everything that I counted before would be erased. Annihilated. Gone forever. Sounds terrifying, isn’t it? Memories are the only things that remain. Can you picture living in a world, characterized by uncontrollable tornadoes, earthquakes, and unbearably long heatwaves? Where there are drought and crop failure, and people have lost their minds and ethics? Where each step outside equals a battle and matter of life and death? Think back to the dystopian television shows and series on Netflix that you have binge-watched in the past. They have become reality. You are a part of it. The world outside your door is unrecognizable. In some ways comparable to the Hunger Games but a thousand times worse. Any volunteers? Probably not, I would not want to exist in such a world either. Fact is we all do and just because we have no choice. Why? Because the long-feared global climate crisis had happened. We have failed. It is the year 2176. Decades of excess consumption and ignorance have resulted in our failure to approach the target set by the climate conference. Instead, companies have blown much more emissions into the air, and the use of synthetic materials such as plastics has increased sevenfold. I do not want to scare you off, but you should keep following in mind: Our air quality has deteriorated considerably. Greenhouse gases, such as methane, got into the air by the thawing of permafrost soils in the Arctic and Siberia. Without special breathing masks, it is no longer possible to get outside. Because of the carbon dioxide in the air, the sky is brown. Just from looking outside, you realize how polluted it is. It is much worse than the smog images you have seen on the news from China or India. When going outside, you need a flashlight to not get lost. It has become rare that you see a human being leaving his or her house in times like these. But when people dare, it is only the brave ones. Stepping out the front door seals your race against the polluted air, the stifling heat, the sea of plastic and people who have lost their minds. Pretty apocalyptic, don’t you think? You cannot recognize our environment anymore; the consequences of climate change have hit it hardest. Our ecosystems, habitats for numerous species, are defenceless against the scale of global warming.

First came the heat. Suddenly, the entire globe became hot, not warm, but boiling. 52 degrees Celsius. Nobody remembers snow anymore, because the only season is summer. You can probably guess what a disastrous chain reaction this set off. First, people hoarded entire water bottles in supermarkets- when they did not care about the heat. With the heat, water consumption increased sharply, because everyone stayed at home or in places that gave them shade. Within a few days, the water shortage came. Governments tried to call people back to their senses and pull themselves together, but everyone had better things to worry about. At the same time, the permafrost soils in the north melted. As this appeared in the news, the entire human race broke into a panic. The governments of the countries ordered everyone to stay in their homes. In a short time, all the stores closed, and public life died. This marks the beginning of the darkest chapter humanity has ever seen. No one had protective clothing or masks against the toxic greenhouse gases. Militaries distributed - strongly reminiscent of the times of the World War - emergency packages, which they threw down from the airplane to the towns and villages. If you were lucky enough to get one and not be attacked by civilians running wild, you received a special protective suit with a matching breathing mask. Gone was human dignity, respect, or compassion. Instead, it was about their survival. No one had any regard for their fellow beings anymore. It is one against all. Unfortunately, many animals suffered a lot from the heat. Without water, they had no food and nothing to drink. Soon, we became witnesses of the first extinction of some species. Large mammals, such as elephants, giraffes, or zebras extinct. But it also affected the carnivores, reptiles, and amphibians - they all had no chance. Countries alongside the equator have become uninhabitable. India, Bangladesh, or Brazil resembles extinct deserts. Millions of people fled from their countries either south- or northwards. No one would have thought that our environment would be our undoing. You must be wondering who goes out at all in such dire circumstances as these. Well, we all need sustenance, remember? Speaking of food, this is the second big issue we are dealing with. Logistics can no longer provide people with everything given the circumstances. The loss of food and hygiene supplies hit us very hard. People realized how many of the products they were constantly consuming were imports from all over the world. For people in Europe, for example, this meant no more fruit from the subtropics and no more rice from Asia. Instead, they began to scavenge in the fields of local farmers. The last time Europeans could eat rice or mangoes was decades ago. But because of the heat, agriculture was plagued by crop failure. Poor harvests everywhere were the result of an unbalanced diet and a significant vitamin deficiency. Soon we were struggling not only with the heat and the gases but also with our bodies. A lack of hygiene products also meant that we became ill more quickly. Our immune system was deteriorating rapidly. We had never been so weak and exhausted. Here it became clear who was the strongest: the poor and homeless, who had neither money nor shelter, suffered the most. They were the first to die just like new-born babies. Politicians spoke of a “human crisis” whose extent resembled collateral damage. We thought it could not get any worse than it is now. But we were wrong.

Instead of trees and flowers, we have vast amounts of plastic of every kind. Plastic bottles, car tires, fishing nets, plastic packaging and much more. Plants no longer exist because of the drought and lack of water. The plastic we have consumed and threw away in the oceans and ground got washed up to our doorstep because of the rising sea level. Waste disposal companies are overwhelmed and can not cope with the gigantic amount. The world has become one large wasteland. Another threat arising is that the glaciers on the Arctic have melted and, thus, the sea level has risen significantly. As a result, floods threaten many African countries. Madagascar, for example, turned into the second Atlantis. It vanished within a few days after the sea level rose. Besides, West Europe is also underwater: Netherlands and Belgium do no longer exist anymore. Many no longer perform their work. Of course, who would want to work anyway? Unfortunately, many shamelessly exploit our plight and demand a high food price. People quickly ran out of money. As a result, vigilante justice and serious fights happen daily. They are hoarding leftover food everywhere. Our everyday life has nothing to do with order and decency, people have become like beasts. But it is not just citizens who are going through a metamorphosis, companies are too. Everywhere, they declared bankruptcy and shut down their production facilities and factories which explains why logistics cannot conduct their business. Till now, there is still is a lack of raw materials, natural and physical resources, and water- everything we do not possess at the moment. A real disaster. The question that remains is: who is to blame for everything? Who is responsible for the never-ending suffering? Who is responsible for the natural catastrophe? Who is responsible for the several deaths of individuals worldwide? Let me guess you would instantly point at the companies. Am I right? But have you thought about who contributed significantly to this as well? You. You as in every citizen, ordinary people, neighbours, colleagues- every single person on this planet. The answer to everything is everyone. Every single one of us has been either selfish and ignorant or stubborn. Admit it you count to those people as well. We all do. In times before this madness started, we wanted everything at the cheapest price. As long as it satisfied our insatiable needs and gave us prestige, we were happy. We did not care about the materials, the environment or whether what we were buying was actually of any use to us. The attitude of each individual to neglect the global problem and maintain the same consumer behaviour has ensured that we have to bear the terrible consequences. The old, happy, and carefree life is history. Our reality is horrifying. In the past, the more, the better was the rule: The newest technologies, latest trends in fashion and lifestyle, better telecommunications. Fear of missing out (FOMO) was driving us insane, making us order too much online, shop until we had no money left in our bank accounts, and get lost in all the excessive products. Influencers on social media and celebrities amplified this wave. Our situation is very similar to the apocalyptic blockbusters we used to watch and enjoy in times of consumerism, which made us underestimate everything. We are now witnessing real-time cinematic experiences. Society got divided into groups called clans. All clans have the same goal: to occupy a valuable source (a water source, fruit, or oil) and to deny others access to it. Robberies, violent confrontations, and killings are daily occurrences. No one takes responsibility for their crimes; everyone has more important concerns. A hundred years ago nobody would have believed that we would fall so deep. You are probably asking yourself how it is possible to survive in this world. Ironically, it is due to many companies. This global warming crisis has slapped everyone hardly. The majority has -finally- noticed that we are in the last stage. Excuses and blaming others are no longer valid. Everyone is responsible because we are all inhabitants of this planet. We were used to trusting that someone else will save us. But this thinking has led us to this situation. Everyone believed this way, and nobody acted. Regret and sorrow fill us all. Only now do we realize what a great opportunity we had, and yet we had not taken advantage of it. Time has punished us. From now on, things can and must get better; the proofs are screaming for it. What we should have done a hundred years ago, the future generation is doing with its own hands and strength. Sustainability, recycling, and careful use of scarce resources are the crucial points of their actions. However, they must give back what they have taken away from nature. But many of us do not possess needed equipment or have a lack of expertise. That is where the companies come into play. They are not only pioneers of a selfish population, but they also teach us, open our eyes, and show us what our behaviour has led. But who are they? Behind all these global brands are scientists, academics, and entrepreneurs who took our terrible problems to heart. When the first announcement from them came on the news, hope sprouted in us for the first time. Hope that we thought we would never feel again. The companies were aware of the great burden on their shoulders, the great challenge that lay ahead of them. Everyone had great expectations of them. They knew it will be hard, but they also knew that shying back and giving up was not an option. Billions of lives relied on them.

In strong cooperation among themselves, they worked and experimented at high pressure on innovative solutions under limited conditions and came up with an impressive collection of inventions within a few months. Now, everyone works together and not against each other because we are all in this together. They say necessity is the mother of invention. Within a few weeks, they developed new concepts and invented a series of new products. One of the most effective and important inventions are emission vacuums. As the name says, they are soaking up all the carbon dioxides and methane in the air. Smart technology enables that this input it soaks in is transformed into renewable resources as the output. Thus, metal is the product you win. The prototype has been tested in the region where pollution is the worst: South Asia. India and China, especially, had vast amounts of gases which left them in darkness. After two weeks, the air quality has improved significantly. The people were amazed and released at the same time. Afterwards, several emission vacuums were distributed on the continents with the help of militaries. Their distribution was difficult and took a while since transport systems are still out of service and the scarce fuel reserves. However, it did not take long until we could see the sun, which plagues us with heat, again. But this time we were grateful for it. Another big change happened in the cities: the latest technology in genetic research has made it possible to artificially breed crops and other foods. They require less to no water at all and are resistant to environmental influences such as heat or toxins in the air. This saved many farmers their harvests because they could plant five times as many fruits and vegetables, cotton, or grain with the given area of plantations. By using drip technique, which countries in Saudi Arabia have been using for a long time, we ensure sustainable water management. Besides, cities started to take more shape: Trees and shrubs protrude from every building’s façade. Thus, it is not only contributing to better air quality but also giving birds and other small animals a new habitat. Scientists have proved that with the use of especial pots, trees survive in hot climates like deserts. They are from recycled paper, combined with a specific soil mix they can grow in the heat without new water intake for weeks. Africans and South Asians are lucky since they can harvest fruits and nuts in their regions as well. There is one invention I am very pleased about: against the long-despised plastic, scientists found a sustainable substitute: sugar cane. Every bottle is made from this and is biodegradable; we no longer have to worry about scenarios like the plastic floods in front of our doors. Another essential change is the way we treat goods. As you remember, we used to throw things away when they were broken, damaged or not working anymore. Ever since the changes arise, we realised we avoid excess and waste disposal by thrifting or letting our items fixed. Thus, small businesses were able to open again and flourish. Especially for electronic devices, whose recycling is complicated, this solution is very effective. Every little component of a product is reused, which means that no new items are required. The same applies to textiles. Fashion, which we adored a lot and was our guilty pleasure, is different from what it used to be. No one purchases new clothes; we thrift and exchange instead. Big clothing companies had to close forever. They realised that their business model is not suitable and can not coexist with the different mindset of ours.

What remains is the heat, it is unbearable as before, but scientists have also found a solution for it. Special solar cells reflect the sun rays and, thus, the heat as well. The construction of these plants took a very long time, after all, everyone in the world suffered from it. Years passed. Eventually, our long wait was rewarded with pleasant 28 degrees Celsius. Do you see what wonders companies worked? Let me remind you they are the same who fed us with their ubiquitous promotions and inducements until we were sick of it. It is remarkable how a crisis changes both our mind and society. From now on, a chain reaction of social awareness started. After we could breathe freely without protective clothing and masks, and the heat could not harm us, we began to engage in activities. Every one of us started to socially participate, be it looking after the poor and homeless people, cleaning up the neighbourhoods, or supporting farmers with their harvest. We became conscious citizens.

Humanity has come a long way. We have been through the worst, endured a lot, but we are coming out braver as ever. Looking back at the past 12 years of this change we learned a lot during this transformation. In these 12 years, we have lost 2,678,492 people, 65,345,788 species, and thousands of hectares of precious ecosystems. Accepting these facts is hard. We have lost a lot. Unfortunately, we cannot compensate for a lot of things, the damage was too severe. But that does not mean we can not improve and protect what we have now. And this is the course we are taking and aiming for. None of this would have been possible if pioneers had approached this problem with ambition and will. It is inconceivable that our ignorance and laziness led to this disaster when all it demanded was discipline and dedication. We alone are responsible for this earth, because if not us, then who? We could all have prevented this if we had worked together. Without global brands, the world would probably have been so contaminated and polluted that everyone would have died immediately. Maybe none of us would be alive. Our behaviour and attitude towards the environment have changed significantly. Gone are the consumers; we are all conscious people. We no longer buy to enjoy. We create to live better by showing our respect for nature and giving back to nature what we take from it. This balance did not exist in the 21st century. It is a big lesson for all of us, which we will not forget easily. The global crisis has shown how frightening it is when Mother Nature strikes back. It will take time to reach this balance, how long nobody can estimate. A few months, ten more years, or several decades. What counts is that we are finally moving in the right direction and that we can secure the future. Our future generation will thank us for this necessary and considerable change. Regardless of what comes, we will ensure that future generations will have a forthcoming because we will pass on to them the precious treasures of this planet. Until then, we will continue, and we hope so will the generations to come.