Most people have forgotten the meaning behind traditional or religious festivals

 
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January 1, 2020 
79.
 
Throwaway society 
In many countries people are living in a “throwaway society” where things are used 
for a short time and thrown away.
What are the causes of this and what problems does it lead to? 
The proliferation of single use products is a major concern for all countries. In my opinion, 
the main cause of this is increased disposable income coupled with advances in technology 
and the main result of this trend is environmental degradation. 
The rise of single or limited use products comes from new technologies and people’s ability 
to afford these items. A hundred years ago, it would not have been possible to cheaply 
produce plastic products on a mass scale. The technological advances of the last hundred 
years have made these products profitable for large companies like Walmart. Of course the 
advances in technology have only met demand from a burgeoning global middle class. 
People today do not have to use the same plates, dishes, and bags that previous generations 
would have been more protective of; nowadays people can afford to buy and throw out 
various household items. 
The main result of the overdependence on single use products is burning more fossil fuels 
which in turn escalates climate change. Cheap plastic is made through a chemical process 
involving raw oil and is then transported on ships or planes running on petrol before being 
carted on trucks to supermarkets. The total accumulation of fossil fuel consumption is 
therefore massive. In the last half century this has precipitated climate change leading to 
increases in the severity of natural disasters, further endangerment of plant and animal 
species and dire warnings by climate scientists for the standard of living of future 
generations. 
In conclusion, the so-called ‘throwaway society’ is a result of economic and technological 
factors and is taking a massive toll on the environment. More governments should seek to 
curb this problem by instituting wide-reaching bans on single-use plastics like straws and 
bags. 
Word count: 289 

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