Underconsumption core: a lifestyle sustainability

RECENTLY, ‘underconsumption’ became trending amongst Millenials and Gen-Z on TikTok. 

The trend of ‘Underconsumption core’ was embraced by the younger generation through the means of minimizing consumption by having to buy only what you need. 

Throughout the summer–under the hashtag, “underconsumption core,” people are encouraged to live a minimalistic lifestyle by only buying fewer products that they’ll use and upcycling what they already own. 

The trend is mostly being done by people in their 20s and 30s, adopting a sustainable and environmental-friendly lifestyle 

Consumerism and its effect to the planet 

For the past decades, many environmental activists and sustainability journalists protested how large consumerism damages the planet.

Examples of this are the trends of fast fashion and fast furnitures that generate massive quantities that products that produce carbon emissions—something that contributes to the acceleration of global warming.  

Aside from the carbon emissions, large quantities of these fast products are more likely to end up in landfills, especially once the product trend dies out. 

For instance in Fast Fashion–due to its cheaper price, the more people consume its products, the more the fast fashion industry generates its products. 

In an article written by the New York Times, about 85 percent of textile waste in the United States goes to landfills. 

Meanwhile, the same thing goes with fast furniture which clogs landfills. 

The trend of Underconsumption core, encourages people to be practical in terms of buying and using the products that they already own. 

Gen-Z and ‘Underconsumption Core’ 

While the trend is mostly seen being done by influencers on TikTok, some Gen-Zs have shared their ways of practicing underconsumption as part of their lifestyle. 

Most of the time (especially on TikTok), influencers talk about underconsumption through the topic of fast fashion, makeup, and aesthetic. 

However, the practice of underconsumption can also be expanded and in the case of 2nd year Journalism student Gen, she do this through her electronics. 

For 19-year-old Gen, she practices underconsumption through her electronics. Usually, Gen would wait for her earphones to break before buying a new one.

Aside from her earphones, she also applies this method by unplugging her extension whenever it’s not in use. 

“May pamahiin kasi sa pamilya ko na kumukunsumo pa rin ng kuryente [mga appliance] basta nakasaksak.” Gen said.