[INFORMATIVE] Less Is More? What Are The Environmental Benefits of the “Underconsumption Core” Trend

Less Is More? What Are The Environmental Benefits of the “Underconsumption Core” Trend

By: Leora Kissoon

Underconsumption core defined:
Recently, the “underconsumption core” trend has taken over social media, with many people using it as a way to showcase how they try to reduce their waste in their daily lives.

The Oxford dictionary defines underconsumption as “the purchase of goods and services at a level lower than that of their supply." Underconsumption, although compared to minimalism, is about focusing on matching your purchasing to your resources, as it is a lot more common for people to have more modest budgets rather than the ideas for just having fewer things as stated by minimalism.

“Underconsumption core” uses online slang with the word “core” referring to the aesthetic or style of the trend of underconsumption. Contradictorily, the point of the trend is to normalize not feeding into trend culture and aesthetics, a pattern that has taken over the internet recently. Persons post videos showcasing the way they reduce their carbon footprint and reduce, reuse, and recycle. This can have great implications for the environment if it is continued long-term on as widespread a basis as it is currently being practiced.

Observing the why:
Many influencers flaunt buying more than they may ever need or use. Overconsumption has become a common theme on the internet with the large availability of fast and easy shopping online. As well, fast fashion is at an all-time high, with society feeling pressured to keep up with new trends to look cool or fashionable, even though many trends do not last longer than a few months more often than not.

Kathriona Devereux stated in her weekly column that there are enough clothes on the planet to clothe everyone on Earth for the next 100 years. This statement brings to light and emphasizes the effects of fast fashion culture and the overwhelming supply of clothes being made by clothing manufacturers. It also brings forth the idea that the only reason the supply is so great is a reflection of the excessive demand for material goods.

Some argue that the underconsumption core wave may be a way to “de-influence” and be a direct response to the overflow of shopping hauls, the influx of collectors of anything from shoes to Stanley cups, or the general tendency for persons online to encourage capitalism and overconsumption, which, to the average person, is out of their financial capacity and overall ineffective to maintain on the average household wage. Underconsumption, almost like a continuation of the “normcore” trend, aims to romanticize and repopularize “average” fashion, purchasing, and lifestyle and rewrite the societal subject norms that pressure persons to keep up with the ever-changing fashion and beauty trends.

How can underconsumption be beneficial?
Underconsumption can be beneficial to world waste production. Every year, the global population produces2.01 billion tons of municipal solid waste (MSW) with 92 million tons of textile waste. By attempting to reduce consumption, there will be a relative decrease in demand for these materials, therefore reducing the supply and the amount of waste being produced not only by the household but also by large corporations long-term if this trend accomplishes its aim of reducing social pressure to conform to consumerism.

A large amount of the world's waste goes into "open" landfill systems, which permit various waste materials, including hazardous chemicals and microplastics, to seep into the groundwater, the surrounding waterways, and the soil. Additionally, greenhouse gases can be released straight into the atmosphere from these sites. Not only can this waste impact human health and water, but it can be a largely contributing factor to wildlife deterioration, especially in aquatic ecosystems. By decreasing the amount of waste made, the entire environment can be impacted, and small changes matter.

Additionally, by making people more mindful of their spending and encouraging them to reuse items, it allows attention to be shined on longer-lasting, high-quality, sustainably made reusable products. Popular examples are rags and cloths instead of paper towels, napkins or wipes, reusable razors instead of disposable ones, bar soap, shampoo, and conditioner, eliminating the plastic bottle waste, or reusable silicone cotton swabs.

As the consumption of the general population changes, prices may lower. As supply and demand lower, it will force businesses to focus on resources into developing more sustainable and efficient options. Although fast fashion brands’ revenue may drop overall, the change in consumption will force the economy to change its target toward green technology and foster long-term efficiency.

Although the underconsumption core trend is just that, a trend, one can hope that it prompts widespread environmental education about sustainable spending as it not only puts pressure on society to try and make a change toward better consumption practices, it also pressures corporations to shift to more sustainable and ethical sourcing and manufacturing.


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