Affluenza Discussion Paper

Affluenza Discussion Paper
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Affluenza Discussion Paper
Affluenza is certainly present in the United States and other Western countries wherein the culture prides itself on financial success as well as possessions. In this paper, the effects of affluenza on the environment are discussed comprehensively. The various types of environmental degradation and pollution that plague the world today are described. Moreover, suggestions are offered for minimizing human impact on the environment.
Effects of affluenza on the environment
Affluenza is understood as a social condition that arises from the desire of people to be more successful or wealthy. It is symptomatic of a culture which considers monetary success as one of the greatest accomplishments. The affluenza epidemic leads to the creation of a society that is affluent (Cheung, 2014). Affluenza causes individuals to want more than what they actually need, thereby resulting in substantial quantities of wastage. In the United States for instance, billions of dollars worth of food are thrown away and wasted each year because of the affluenza epidemic, and this has great impacts for the environment (Hamilton & Denis, 2011).
There are various types of environmental degradation and pollution including air pollution, water pollution, land/soil pollution that arise due to the affluenza epidemic. (i) Air pollution: human activities bring about emissions of particulate matter as well as aerosols into the air. These substances could lead to discomfort or harm to ecosystems and humans. Outside air quality is largely impacted by methane, carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, sulphur dioxide, fine particles as well as volatile organic compounds. Some of these substances could actually react with the sunlight and thereby form ozone which consequently contributes to the formation of smog (Tyagi, 2010). Sources of emissions comprise agriculture, particularly livestock; internal combustion engines from trucks and cars; and burning of coal in power stations. Air pollution includes tobacco smoke, combustion of coal, noise pollution, exhaust gases of vehicles, and acid rain. (ii) Chemical pollution: many chemicals have been created by humans and some of them cannot be decomposed biologically, hence have the tendency of accumulating within the atmosphere, oceans, waterways or soil. Chemical substances are utilized in various products such as cosmetics, household products, pharmaceuticals, pesticides, and in all types of plastic materials (Tyagi, 2010). Some of these chemical compounds are carcinogenic or endocrine disruptors, that is, they interfere with the hormone system of humans and animals resulting in development disorders and birth defects.
(iii) Deforestation: it is estimated that roughly 13 million hectares of forest were actually lost yearly during the past 10 years. However, because of afforestation endeavors, the total yearly loss is equival...