Consumption is one of the biggest drivers of climate change. More than 60% of global greenhouse gas emissions come from goods and services consumed on a household level. All people need resources, so some consumption will always be necessary. But when overconsumption enters the equation – when people consume beyond what they need – it increases carbon emissions unnecessarily. 

As consumer spending increases globally year over year, emissions from overconsumption increase in turn. Overconsumption creates emissions across every aspect of a product’s lifecycle from production, to distribution, to disposal. Understanding how greenhouse gas emissions are tied to household consumption is important for lowering climate change impacts everywhere.

Carbon Emissions From Production

The production phase of consumer goods includes resource extraction and manufacturing, and it is the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in a product’s life cycle. 

The biggest proportion of these emissions are from resource extraction, where raw materials are taken from the natural environment and processed into things like plastic, fibers, and metals that can be used to produce our everyday products. Recycling allows for the reuse of some materials, but that process creates emissions as well and is only useful for a select set of raw materials.

The more complex an item is, the more resource-intensive its production becomes. For example, a typical smart phone requires several different kinds of metal, including metals that can only be extracted in certain parts of the world, as well as plastic and other materials. These materials then need to be shaped into working smart phones through sophisticated manufacturing processes, which themselves require energy to be created and to function. 

The production of a single smart phone creates an average of 55 kg of emissions, equal to half a year of washing clothes. And the average American keeps their smart phone for less than two and a half years before buying a new one. The production from this single industry leads to as many emissions as produced by the entire country of The Philippines each year. 

Carbon Emissions From Distribution

In our increasingly globalized world, more and more consumers are purchasing goods that were produced in countries far away from where they live. Emissions from global trade are the source of nearly a quarter of greenhouse gas emissions, 80% of which is driven by demand in the twenty wealthiest countries. 

Clothing, which is one of the largest consumer goods categories for people in wealthy countries, is overwhelmingly produced in south and southeastern Asian. Americans import nearly $80 billion worth of clothing annually, and every item of clothing brought from overseas requires carbon emissions to be transported and distributed.

Cheaply made clothing designed to be only worn a few times before disposal, or fast fashion, produces a disproportionate amount of emissions from distribution. The fast fashion company Shein is the largest source of emissions in the fashion industry because of its reliance on air shipping, where individual goods are shipped directly to consumers from where they are produced in southern China. Shein’s carbon emissions grew at twice the rate of its revenue in 2024.

Carbon Emissions From Disposal

Even when someone has thrown away a consumer good and is no longer using it, that good can contribute to carbon emissions. Landfills are the third largest contributor of methane, a greenhouse gas, because organic materials produce gas as they break down in landfills. The piles of trash in landfills don’t allow for enough air to circulate to break down organic materials quickly, meaning that each piece of trash can be producing methane for potentially years before it is fully broken down.

Food, paper, and cardboard are the biggest categories of waste in landfills in wealthy countries. With over two billion tons of solid waste produced annually, landfills are filled with consumer products that no longer have any benefit to people and yet continue to produce emissions.

Reducing Consumption and Reducing Climate Change

Meeting the warming goals set by the Paris Climate Agreement would require reducing personal consumption in wealthy countries by at least 94% from 2025 levels. So far, no country is on track to meet that goal. Reducing our collective overconsumption is one of our most important tools for lessening the impacts of climate change.

FAQs on Overconsumption and Climate Change

How does overconsumption lead to climate change?
When people consume more goods and services than they need, more greenhouse gas emissions are released during the production, distribution, and disposal of those goods and services.

How does the production of a product lead to climate change?
Both the extraction of raw materials and the manufacturing of products create carbon emissions that lead to climate change.

How does the distribution of a product lead to climate change?
Many products are produced in a country that is far away from the country where it will be used. Moving products from the location of production to the location of its use creates carbon emissions that lead to climate change.

How does the disposal of a product lead to climate change?
When products are at the end of their lives and go into a landfill, they have the potential to release methane and other emissions for years. Even if a product is recycled, the recycling process requires energy, manufactured tools and buildings, and transport – all of which create carbon emissions.

What are some ways to reduce overconsumption to fight climate change?
People can reduce overconsumption by buying fewer disposable products, keeping electronics and clothing longer, repairing items instead of replacing them, choosing secondhand goods, and avoiding impulse purchases. These habits lower emissions by reducing demand for new production and waste.

Can changing shopping habits make a significant difference in climate change mitigation?
Changing shopping habits can make a meaningful difference in climate change mitigation, especially when many people reduce unnecessary purchases. Buying less, choosing durable goods, and supporting lower-emission products can help cut the emissions linked to consumerism and climate change.

What role do governments and organizations play in addressing consumer-driven climate issues?
Governments and organizations play a major role in addressing consumer-driven climate issues by setting efficiency standards, improving recycling and waste systems, regulating pollution, investing in cleaner transportation, and encouraging sustainable production. System-level action is necessary because individual behavior alone cannot halt the actions leading to climate change.

Image credits: iPhones (Photo by Omar Gerardo | Pexels); Piles of clothes (Photo by Fahim Ahammad | Pexels); Landfill waste (zeljkosantrac, iStock.com)