Resisting Consumerism and Living Well Locally

Meet Roshni Sahu, a conscious consumer and part of Gen Z’s rising tide against consumerism. Roshni and many in her generation see the downsides of consumerism for our planet and our lives and are finding contentment with less stuff. This post is part of Profiles in Living Connected to Place, my series that portrays individuals living connected to place with intention and the support of systems that make it possible. Prior posts can be found here.

Roshni Sahu is part of Gen Z and its rising participation in conscious consumerism. I initially interviewed her when she was a high school student in San Mateo, California. Outside of class, she was engaged in many activities. Roshni participated in her school's yearbook, leadership, and service clubs. In the community, she served on a local youth council, volunteered at a local science museum, and was a Girl Scout.  

One activity Roshni did very little of then and now is shopping. She is concerned about the pollution and environmental impacts that result from hyper-consumerism. To Roshni, hyper-consumerism means buying the latest items even when what you have works fine or frequently purchasing new clothes when older clothes could be mended or worn longer. She and her peers are increasingly questioning fast fashion and the accumulation of stuff in our lives.

Like many in her generation, Roshni witnesses the digital onslaught of advertisements and marketing that pressures teens and young people to keep buying new stuff. As she sees it, these ads and messages are designed to make teens feel left out if they don’t have the “latest and best.”

She and a growing number of Gen Z’ers see how consumerism can make you buy things you think you need but really don’t. Instead, they are happy and content to put their energy into local activities and experiences that do not include shopping for stuff. This cultural tide against the accumulation of consumer goods bodes well for people, communities, and the planet.