The Interplay of Consumer Behaviour and Environmental Degradation

This essay delves into the critical relationship between consumer behavior and its profound impact on the environment. It begins by defining consumer behavior and highlighting its significant influence on environmental degradation, particularly in the context of climate change. The essay emphasizes how modern consumer practices, driven by technological advancements and evolving lifestyles, contribute to increased pollution and resource depletion. It discusses the role of technology, such as household appliances, in exacerbating environmental issues. The essay further explores the concept of ethical consumption, examining the challenges consumers face in adopting sustainable practices, such as the high cost of environmentally friendly products. It underscores the importance of shifting consumer demands, promoting awareness through social campaigns, and encouraging the adoption of green products to mitigate environmental damage. The essay concludes by emphasizing that changing consumer behavior is crucial for reducing climate change and fostering long-term environmental benefits.

Running head: CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR AND ENVIRONMMENT
CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR AND ENVIRONMMENT
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

1CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR AND ENVIRONMMENT
Consumer behavior is considered to be the study of groups, organisations and
individuals and the activities which are associated with the use, disposal and purchase of
services and goods which include the mental, behavioral and emotional responses that follow
or precede the activities (Mandel et al, 2017). It has always been said that the environment
has a huge influence on the behavior of the consumers and widely affect them however it can
be see that even the behavior of the consumers highly effect the environment and in recent
times they have been affecting the environment negatively which is becoming detrimental.
In recent times, climate change has garnered a lot of importance because of the
detrimental impacts it has been having on the environment and one of the major reasons for
the increase of global warming and climate change is the consumer behavior. Majority of the
products that are used by the consumers these days contribute to the growth and increase of
the detrimental issue.
With the advent of technology, the demands of the people are constantly changing.
According to scholars, majority of the impacts that have on the planet comes from the
consumptions and the uses of technology in the household (Yan et al, 2016). The changing
lifestyle of the society has been changing the consumer behavior and most of the consumers
these days have been focusing on luxury. Ahmed et al (2017) state due to the fast paced life
people are using devices in their households to get their work done and also in a faster
manner like, air conitioners, microwaves and small chimneys present in the kitchen and these
are considered to be major sources of air pollutants that have been damaging the
environment.
The negative effects of climate change and the damage caused to the environment,
most of the millennials focus on ethical consumption however, there are some factors which
make it difficult for people to fully resort and practice ethical consumptions. According to

2CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR AND ENVIRONMMENT
scholars, owning a vehicle has become a necessity for people in recent times and majority of
the people search for vehicles that are environment friendly in order to make positive
contribution to the environment (Lou, Wang & Yang, 2017). However, the high price range
restrict people from owning e-vehicles and thus they have to resort to buying vehicles that are
cheaper which pollute the air and cause damage to the environment.
It is important that the consumers shift their demands so that they can contribute to
the environment in a positive way. Social campaigns need to be created to spread awareness
about the detrimental effects of their consumer behavior and should make them aware about
the green products that are being created to encourage them to make a purchase. The
campaigns should spread information as to how these products not only help the environment
but also reduce the expenditure of the consumers in the long run.
Degradation of the environment is a huge issue which can be reduced if the consumer
behavior can be changed as this is one of the reasons that has been contributing to the issue.
Spreading awareness will help consumers realize the adversities it can create and change the
thought and behavior of the consumers which will help in reducing climate change which will
eventually benefit the consumers in the long run.

3CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR AND ENVIRONMMENT
Reference
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Mandel, N., Rucker, D. D., Levav, J., & Galinsky, A. D. (2017). The compensatory consumer
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Yan, X. H., Boyer, T., Trenberth, K., Karl, T. R., Xie, S. P., Nieves, V., ... & Roemmich, D.
(2016). The global warming hiatus: Slowdown or redistribution?. Earth's Future,
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