Right now, there is an ongoing battle over landfill expansion in Maine. Mainers are fighting over where we let corporate Casella expand their landfill empire. Everyone is fighting to keep it out of their backyards, which is understandable considering the impacts seen by the current neighbors of Juniper Ridge in Old Town. Who’s fighting to stop creating all this waste in the first place? This holiday season, people will purchase unprecedented amounts of plastic junk, destined for local landfills. Stop consuming and start considering where all your purchases end up.
The holiday season screams overconsumption. Every store is filled with future garbage that someone will use once. From gag gifts to a pen that says “tis the season,” the goods produced by companies for the holidays are unnecessary. If you have ever walked into a second-hand store, it is full to the brim with Christmas knick knacks. We do not need a full corner of a store dedicated to a holiday that has produced themed goods for years. We can find plenty of Christmas decor that already exists.
It’s not just decor either. Every year, marketing campaigns convince us to buy new gifts for everyone we love. We can shop used and handmade for gifts too. The Keurig on Facebook marketplace will work just as well for your mom as the one in the store does. A handmade card with money for groceries is far more practical and resourceful than the gimmick plastic straw cover.
Absent from the holiday season, trends pushed by stores and companies only contribute to overconsumption. You do not need a new water bottle every time a brand goes viral on TikTok. We have all seen the Stanley cup craze. Every year, we have a new “Stanley cup.” Do you remember how fidget spinners rose and fell in over a year? The trends may die on social media, but every piece of plastic created from these trends still exists.
I understand that it is hard to just stop shopping for Christmas. Until everyone is on the same boat, the anti-consumerist will be ridiculed as a cheap hippie. That’s why if you believe in consuming less, then it’s your responsibility to spread that belief. Talk to your friends and family about why their gifts are non-physical or second-hand this year. This upcoming landfill expansion in Maine will be inevitable, however, the next one does not have to be. If we stop consuming, we won’t be consumed in the future by another Juniper Ridge.
