It's Christmas time and of course, many people are thinking about which presents to give to their friends and family.
Especially in Germany, citizens are utterly stressed out, running threw shops buying cheap special offers that actually nobody really needs.
I am sitting in a shopping mall right now (they've got a sofa and free WiFi here ;) ) watching purchasers consume useless goods.
Seriously, do they need a tenth pair of trousers? The twentiest shirt? Red sparkly highheels they will only wear once? Hairclips that look like fairies?
Do their friends and family really need another wallet? That huge reindeer cuddly toy that sings jingle bells when you press it's belly?? :D
Will they be happy when they receive that present?
And what I ask myself, too:
Do they remember all the people living in our world who can't even afford to buy food for themselves and don't get any present at all?
However, not only in this time of year do the wealthy purchase useless items. Daily dustcatching decorative stuff, clothes that rarely get worn, easily breakable plastic toys etc are being bought. ;)
Nonetheless, while consuming, these people are not only harming themselves, they have a significant impact on our whole world.
You might ask yourself how wealthy consumers are harming themselves.
Well, they go to work every day. Often, they do not even like their job. So basically they are wasting their time earning money that they will spend on stuff, they don't need. Unfortunately, it is proven, that consuming stuff usually only makes you happy for a short period of time. Consequently, after their purchase they still aren't satisfied. So they will work even more to get more money so they can buy more stuff hoping that might make them happy.
On top of that, these people haven't got enough time for their friends, family, hobbies, talents....
Obviously, it would be better for them to work less and instead, focus on things that they truly enjoy.
Now you might ask yourself, how can they have a significant impact on our world?
Well... ;)
Whenever you buy something in a normal shop
1. it is made of different materials, some of them are fossil fuels.
One day we won't have enough left and then people will be asking themselves: was that toy really worth it.
2. it is made of materials that can't be recycled.
One day it will be waste. But where will it end? In the sea killing fish? In some field killing birds and bugs? On some rubbish pile that gets bigger and bigger every day and produces methan? On the moon? ;)
3. a lot of energy was used to produce it.
Which obviously increases the CO2 level...
4. a lot of water was used to produce it.
Did you know that to produce one box of teabag you need 100 litres of water? Did you know that we don't have endless resources on clean water in our world? It takes ages to regenerate and clean the water we use. In Germany for example we won't have any clean water left in about 30 years.
5. the item travelled to various places until it arrived in the shop. Transport always pollutes our world: CO2 emmisions, LKWs, trains, ships, streets, train tracks, harbours etc have got to be built, which of course destroys nature and demands the usage of fossil fuels......, sound pollution that has impact on e.g. birds lives, large ships influence sea creatures lives etc
6. ... Just imagine you were an extremely poor person in a poor country working all day and night in a devastating factory barely earning anything while producing absolutely useless stuff that you know you would never ever be able to afford.
How would you feel?
Of course, you want to give your friends and family presents anyway.
Here's an advice from me:
Surprise them with a lovely self-made gift! :)
Most probably that will make them much happier and btw, did you know that creating things usually increases your own happiness, too? ;)
Francly, that way, you've got a win-win situation ;)
If you need some inspiration, visit us in Ligzda. We've got plenty heartwarming ideas :)
E.g. pretty christmas cards like the one on the right.
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