Consumption or consumerism?

Today we are going to talk about something very important: responsible consumption. You might have heard these words before, but do you know what they mean? Let's find out together.

What is consumption?

Consumption is simply using things. For example, when you eat an apple, you are consuming an apple. When you use your backpack to carry your books, you are consuming the backpack. We need to consume things to live and have fun, like food, clothes, toys, and more.

What is consumerism?

Consumerism is when we consume too much. This happens when we buy and use more things than we really need. Imagine having many pairs of shoes when you only need a few. That is consumerism.

Difference between consumption and consumerism

The difference between consumption and consumerism is that consumption is using what you need, while consumerism is using more than necessary.

What is responsible consumption?

Responsible consumption is when we think before buying and use only what we really need. It means taking care of the planet by being conscious of our decisions.

Why is responsible consumption important?

Consumerism has a big impact on the environment. Here are some examples:

• Waste of Resources: By buying more things than we need, we use many resources like water, trees, and energy. This can deplete the planet's natural resources.
• Pollution: Many factories that produce things generate pollution in the air, water, and soil. Additionally, when we throw away things we don't use, we create a lot of garbage that takes a long time to decompose.
• Climate Change: The production and transportation of so many things increase greenhouse gas emissions, contributing to global warming and climate change.

How can we be responsible consumers?

Here are some ideas to practice responsible consumption:

• Buy only what you need: Before buying something, ask yourself if you really need it.
• Reuse and recycle: Use things more than once and recycle what you no longer need.
• Take care of your things: If you take care of your belongings, they will last longer, and you won't have to replace them as often.
• Share and donate: If you have things you no longer use, donate or share them with others who need them.

Remember, every small action counts to take care of our planet. If we all are responsible in how we consume, we can make a big difference.

Activities to do in the classroom or at home

After reading this Eco-note, we invite you to keep learning with simple and fun activities to do in the classroom or at home. With small actions and big ideas, together we can help take care of our planet.

1. Let’s Talk

• What does consuming mean?
• What things do we need and what things do we only want?
• What is consumerism?
• What happens when we buy things we do not need?
• How can we consume in a more responsible way?

2. Let’s Observe

Observe the objects you use in the classroom or in your backpacks and think about which ones are necessary and which ones could be avoided.

3. Let’s Create

Make a consumption traffic light!
Using recycled cardboard, draw a large traffic light with three colors: green, yellow and red. Then cut out or draw different objects, foods or toys and place them in the corresponding color: green for necessary things, yellow for things you can use in moderation and red for unnecessary things.
This traffic light will help you think about which types of consumption are more responsible and which create unnecessary waste.

4. Let’s Color

Download the coloring page and color it.

DOWNLOAD COLORING PAGE

5. Let’s Take Action

Before using or asking for something new, think about whether you really need it.
Reuse materials (paper, containers, school supplies) before throwing them away.
Share or exchange objects that you no longer use.

6. Let’s Play

Try an EcoKids eco-game about responsible consumption or caring for the environment.

• Recycle and Learn
• Choose the correct option

EcoKids Tip

Before buying something new, think about whether you really need it or if you can reuse, repair or share what you already have. Responsible consumption helps reduce waste and protect the Earth’s resources.