Overconsumption: why we buy more than we need

Open a drawer, look into the storage room or go through the wardrobe. There are often things we fully meant to use when we bought them: a kitchen gadget switched on a couple of times, a piece of clothing with the tag still on, an old phone that still works perfectly after we got a new one.

We keep all of it with the thought: "Might need it someday." Sometimes we do. But some of those things just keep waiting.

Why do we buy more than we need?

Buying is easy. A sale, free delivery, a nice advert — and we have already found a reason why we need this thing right now. It is much harder to stop before buying and ask: will I use it? Don't I already have something similar? Where will I put it?

Overconsumption doesn't start only in the shop. It shows at home too, when we have more than we can use and still look for more.

How much we actually consume

The world consumes very unevenly. What feels normal to us would be a luxury for a large share of people:

• 6 times more materials. A person in a high-income country uses roughly six times more raw materials a year than a person in a low-income country, and their consumption has about ten times the climate impact. In low-income countries that figure has barely changed since 1995. (UN Environment Programme, Global Resources Outlook 2024)
• 10% of people — almost half the emissions. The richest 10% of the world's population cause about 48% of all greenhouse gas emissions, while the poorest half of humanity causes just 8%. The richest 1% emit more than the poorest two thirds. (Oxfam, Climate Equality, 2023)
• 7 times more e-waste. In Europe one person throws away 17.6 kg of electronics a year on average; in Africa, 2.5 kg. Worldwide, 62 million tonnes of e-waste were generated in 2022, and less than a quarter — 22.3% — was properly collected and recycled. (Global E-waste Monitor 2024)
• 19 kg of textiles a year. That is how much clothing, footwear and household textiles the average EU resident bought in 2022 — more than ever before. In 2019 it was 17 kg. (European Environment Agency)

Lithuania sits on the wealthy side of this picture. That doesn't mean feeling guilty about every purchase. But it does mean we have more things we could pass on than we think.

What if we started with what we already have?

A chair we no longer need can be someone's first piece of furniture in a new home. A bike a child has outgrown can be another child's most awaited present. Materials left over from a renovation can help someone who is short of a few tiles or boards.

The same thing takes up space in one home and gets used every day in another. Every item used a second time is one new item that doesn't have to be made, shipped and eventually thrown away.

That is where the idea of Findings comes in. On the findings.lt map you can list things you are selling or giving away for free, and see what people nearby are offering. Maybe what you are looking for is no longer needed by someone a few streets away?

You can list services too. Sometimes, before buying something new, it is worth finding someone who can repair or refresh what you already have.

Where to start

Consuming more consciously doesn't mean buying nothing or giving up comfort. You can start with three simple decisions:

1. Before buying — think whether you will really use it and whether you already have something similar.
2. Before throwing away — offer it to someone else.
3. Before leaving it in storage for another year — ask yourself whether you really need it.

You don't have to sort out the whole house this weekend. One drawer and one thing you could let go of is enough.

Post it on findings.lt — someone nearby may be looking for exactly that. Listing is free.

Good to know