CONSUMERISM
Consumerism is an important topic, global trade means that anything we buy can come from any corner of the earth. Not every company has the best interests of its employees and the surrounding environment at its moral center. But there are also companies that make it their mission to be the most ethical and eco conscious on the planet, so lets look into how to backpack in and around consumerism.
Causes
Consumerism promotes the belief that material possessions and consumption are central to well-being and happiness. It is imbedded and ingrained in us through advertising, social media and rapid upgrade culture.
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A particularly dark aspect of consumerism is that it can be tied to one's social status (the car we drive, the clothes we wear, the house we live in). The relentless pursuit of consumer goods has significant environmental consequences, including resource depletion, pollution, and climate change.
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It can also lead to mental health issues including depression. Those items we strive so desperately for will only be a stepping stone to the next best thing
Backpacking gives us the opportunity to live with less. There are only so many items we can take and only so much weight we can carry. If we combine this level of minimalism with smart shopping, we are helping to ease the strain on material consumption, imports and exports and cheap labor.
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Further if we select our items carefully we can use them for years to come. Check out the ocean plastics section for tips on sustainable products you can use over and over again.
The other remarkable thing about backpacking is it will expose you to happy people who do not live in this consumer trap. It is incredibly humbling and eye opening when people who have very little open their door to you offering food and a bed in exchange for nothing but your company!
Backpacking And Consumerism
Key Choices
More and more people are turning to experiences as the commodity of choice. One of the most valuable things you can have in your arsenal is knowledge, (which was the catalyst for setting up Backpackers Blueprint).
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If we shift our mind to needing less, we can have so much more. And when we do consume we simply need to select quality, and ethics.
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Fashion is a very important commodity in this topic, so lets look at a few key points to look out for:
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Recycled materials
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Vegan and animal cruelty free
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Pride and transparency in the supply chain from conception to completion.
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Closed loop initiative
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Quality durable material that last.
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Watch out for green washing and dishonesty from brands
The above image by Mohammad Ponir Hossain shows river pollution down Buriganga river in Dhaka. This is linked to the fashion industry. The fashion industry has been a strong stable income for Bangladesh for many years now, however, companies and suppliers are able to bypass waste management systems at the expense of the environment. ​
What Initiatives Are There?
Responsible tourism is also important (especially for us undertaking a travel trip)! In 2018 Thailand called stop on tourists visiting the Maya beach (made famous from the 1999 film 'The Beach'). During its peak this beach was receiving 4000-5000 daily visitors which was affecting nearby coral and causing pollution and waste issues.
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Venice is proposing a new day visitor tax from 2024 for person over the age of 14 to help reduce the strain of over 13 million visitors a year.
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Machu Picchu has turned to time slots to ease the tourism juggernaut of 1.5 million people (2500 a day).
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Naturally as backpackers there is often a desire to get away from the tourist trail. This is one of the most valuable ways to ease congestion and discover new places.
We often have the luxury to be able to adjust our timetables to visit the 'hot spots' when there is less strain on the infrastructure. An easy tip is to work around school holidays and 'peak' holiday times, it is better for the area and frankly better for your experiences also.
Sustainable Travel
The final element to mention is eco tourism. Finding hostels/ hotels that pride themselves on eco tourism takes a lot of the burden off us. These sites are set up to be as environmentally friendly as possible with details down to, how the accommodation has been built, the soaps used, how the waste management etc, all considerations.
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These sites often allow you to reconnect with nature, check out Alice Guest House or Hotel Gringo Perdido both in El Remate, Guatemala as good examples backpacking lodgings making a consious effort to having a small impact on the environment.