In many countries today people are living in a ‘throwaway society’, where things are used in a short time and then thrown away. What are its causes? What are its problems

Society nowadays is upgrading almost daily in terms of frequency. People have to drop outdated items in order to catch up with the trend. There are reasons behind the situation and problems related to it. Several causes can be found. Firstly, with the development of technology, companies are able to create products featured by more functions and higher qualities in shorter periods. They also advertise their goods exclusively with the help of emerging media platforms, for example, the increasing internet streamers and online celebrities in China, and global-connected delivery services. These behaviours make consumers well get through to each product, and feel free to attain every new generation of the item. For instance, Apple offers speedy posting services worldwide for their yearly-updated devices. Secondly, most modern people are self-sufficient smallholders, safeguarding themselves from changes in the wider economy. Thus, they all want to own the best and abundant resources to encounter any social or natural changes, including civil wars, political instability, the outbreak of diseases or global warming. However, the desire to purchase the latest goods causes negative influences. People are more likely to be addicted to exaggerated consumption, encouraged by fast-paced buying behaviours. They may suffer from personal economic instability and even own bad credits from the bank. Furthermore, with far more frequent dumping behaviours, a larger volume of waste is definitely produced, going beyond the capability of landfills and waste processing centres. These may finally contaminate the environment without being detected. To sum up, with the high-speed development of production and economy, people are led to buy and drop goods quickly to avoid being left behind. However, drawbacks show on the safety of personal livelihood and environmental protection.