The question of whether the environmental damage caused by rising production of consumer goods is widely debated in modern society. While consumer production has raised living standards and widened access to useful technology, I am convinced that its environmental footprint must be redesigned rather than accepted as inevitable.
The most compelling reason is that planned obsolescence and cheap materials turn natural resources into short-lived waste. This matters because electronics and fast fashion show how quickly extraction becomes landfill. Moreover, circular design can keep materials in use for longer and reduce new extraction. These effects can continue to influence individuals and communities beyond the immediate situation.
Admittedly, voluntary consumer restraint is unlikely to overcome aggressive marketing and low prices. Yet this weakness can be reduced if governments require repairability, producer responsibility, and transparent supply chains. Furthermore, a balanced approach would allow economic activity to continue while wasteful production becomes less profitable.
On balance, the problem is not consumption itself but disposable consumption. Provided that those rules are consistently enforced, this approach offers a stronger and more sustainable answer to the issue.