Having the latest technology can be a need in some cases, and a want in others. Nowadays, technology is required to complete many school assignments and projects due to online essay writing, the applications of google drive, and the necessity to turn in activities digitally. In other cases, technology is a want due to it only being there for personal entertainment such as watching YouTube or social media.

In most realistic cases, it is only necessary to upgrade personal technology such as cell phones and smart watches every four-five years. Replacing technology in less time than that leads to unnecessary waste and an increased carbon footprint. You can break the need to always use personal technology (phones, tablets, etc) by taking part in outdoor activities such as hiking, running, and walking with friends or family.

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Clothing and purchases are a huge issue relating to carbon emissions. Not only do factories release harmful gasses into the air, but it is hard or almost impossible for the materials used to decompose. According to airly.org, factories emit lots of pollutants into the air, a main one being green house gases, which mainly consist of carbon dioxide. Especially this day in age, keeping up with the trends is super important, but at what cost? People need clothes, but many purchases people make are just wants to have more. But, the more people buy, the more impact it has on our environment. 10% of carbon emissions are due to fast fashion industries. This really has me thinking, is my next purchase worth it? What do you think? Next time I will try to think before I buy.

There is a big difference between the wants and needs. Stuff like water, shelter, food, clothes, etc. Needs are flashy shoes, high end computer, the newest phone or devices. Buying excess wants can lead to waste of resources and cause pollution because of the creation of our wants. Needs are the things we need to survive in our life. Wants can cause extra things that we don't need which becomes a waste. Having a lot of waste can cause unnecessary pollution to our Earth.

Pollution is the largest environmental cause of disease and premature death. Pollution causes more than 9 million premature deaths, the majority of them due to air pollution. That’s several times more deaths than from AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria combined. Air pollution is the leading environmental risk to health, causing 7 million premature deaths each year. This is equivalent to the number of people that have died from COVID-19 since March 2020. Pollution of all types hinder development outcomes. Air pollution, exposure to lead and other chemicals, and hazardous waste including exposure to improper e-waste disposal, cause debilitating and fatal illnesses, create harmful living conditions, and destroy ecosystems. Pollution stunts economic growth, exacerbates poverty and inequality in both urban and rural areas, and significantly contributes to climate change. Poor people, who cannot afford to protect themselves from the negative impacts of pollution, end up suffering the most. More than 95 percent of deaths caused by air pollution occur in low- and middle- income countries. In individual countries, the economic burden of pollution associated with premature mortality and morbidity is also significant, equivalent to 5 to 14 percent of countries' GDPs. Recent evidence points to the similar devastation caused by exposure to harmful chemicals, such as lead. In 2019, more than 5.5 million adults died from cardiovascular disease arising from lead exposure. 90% of these deaths occurred in lower- and middle-income countries. In the same year, children younger than 5 years of age lost 765 million IQ points. Lead exposure costs countries $6 trillion, equivalent to 6.9% of global GDP. It is critical to address pollution because of its unacceptable toll on health and human capital, as well as associated GDP losses. Pollution management can also make substantial contributions to climate change mitigation through actions such as reduction of black carbon and methane emissions, which contribute to both air pollution and climate change. In addition, pollution management can enhance competitiveness, for example, through job creation, better energy efficiency, improved transport, and sustainable urban and rural development.

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It really depends on what the want is.  For example, electric cars (Teslas) are made to lower the amount of carbon emission out of cars.  But the trade off is that when the lithium for the batteries is mined, then it emits 15 tons of carbon as well.  Sometimes it is alright to pollute if it will help the earth in another way but most of the time we should not pollute our planet for our material wants.

Needs are something that every person has, and as time goes on these needs will be completely different from 100 years ago. Everyone needs water, shelter, and food, but as time goes on it becomes more necessary for adults to have things such as smart phones and cars in order to keep their other basic needs. While these things do cause extra waste they still are necessary for people to have in a modern society. So to combat this it's important that people make use of these things for long periods of time making sure they use their phones for multiple years and possibly utilize electric cars in order to reduce their carbon output.

Clothing and fashion are two of my biggest interests, yet what is happening behind the scenes? According to NRDC anywhere from 4-8.6% of carbon emissions are from clothing production. I love to go thrift shopping and try to reuse clothes as much as possible, due to the fact that the fast fashion industry is a significant contributor to the climate crisis, responsible for as much as 10% of global carbon dioxide emissions; and waste nearly 97 million tons of clothing. Are these trends so important that you should value them more than mother earth? NO! Next time you walk into a store to purchase a clothing item, think of how much carbon has been emitted to create it. Is it really worth it?

Clothing is one thing I truly enjoy, but at what cost? I love shopping but after my class took the carbon footprint calculator I realized clothing is such a huge contribution to carbon emissions. According to NRDC anywhere from 4-8.6% of carbon emissions are from clothing production. I talk about how I love to buy second-hand or used clothes however as much as I would like to think I mostly thrift, I have many new clothes from stores that contribute to fast fashion. Are these new clothes really something I need to be getting? Finding clothes from thrift stores is much more friendly to the environment because you are actually taking out of the 92 million tons of clothing thrown away each year. When I'm out shopping I often think "buying just one top won't hurt the environment" but in actuality the amount of people that have the exact same thought as me is what causes extreme rates of carbon in the atmosphere. Next time I'm at a store and I want to buy a shirt, I really need to think about carbon emissions that have gone into our atmosphere due to the production of this clothing item and how many clothing items have been produced along with it.

Clothing is one thing I truly enjoy, but at what cost? I love shopping but after my class took the carbon footprint calculator I realized clothing is such a huge contribution to carbon emissions. According to NRDC anywhere from 4-8.6% of carbon emissions are from clothing production. I talk about how I love to buy second-hand or used clothes however as much as I would like to think I mostly thrift, I have many new clothes from stores that contribute to fast fashion. Are these new clothes really something I need to be getting? Finding clothes from thrift stores is much more friendly to the environment because you are actually taking out of the 92 million tons of clothing thrown away each year. When I'm out shopping I often think "buying just one top won't hurt the environment" but in actuality the amount of people that have the exact same thought as me is what causes extreme rates of carbon in the atmosphere. Next time I'm at a store and I want to buy a shirt, I really need to think about carbon emissions that have gone into our atmosphere due to the production of this clothing item and how many clothing items have been produced along with it.

Recently my whole grade took this footprint calculator, and the following question was then asked all around the school; "what was your footprint"? While it may be easier to joke about how high or low someones score it is important that we actually think about these numbers and how they affect the world around us. Looking at my score I was struck by how the averages compared to my personal numbers. I will admit that many of my choices are not based on how eco-friendly they are, but more based on how convenient when it comes to transport and how cute when it comes to shopping. Both of my parents work is surrounding climate change, so growing up I was constantly being encouraged to make the choice that was more climate friendly. I often ignored this, if my friends parent offered me a ride home I was going to take it, or if I thought a shirt was cute it was a given I was going to buy it, even if I didn't NEED that ride or shirt. In the future I will strive to base my choices more on how it affects the planet.

What is the difference between wants and needs? In my opinion, wants are things that I can live without, but needs are things I can’t. For example, water, food, clothes are obvious needs. But what about those shoes that you want, do actually need them? If you have no shoes then yes, but what about those shoes sitting at the back of the shoe closet. Buying whatever you want and getting sick of it is just a waste of money and material. Prioritizing needs over wants ensures efficient resource allocation. Indulging in wants without consideration can lead to wasteful consumption. Being mindful of consumption habits not only benefits finances but also reduces environmental impact and promotes sustainability. Therefore, before indulging in a want, assess its alignment with needs and values.

I agree. Things that are essential to life, such as food, water, and shelter, are called needs. Conversely, desires are items we would want to have, including toys, new technology, and more. Most of the items we purchase, including pricey clothing and other items, wind up in a landfill. Anything that we use and eventually breaks or grows too tiny ends up in a landfill. Over 92 million tons of apparel end up in landfills, according to the report. This is due to fast fashion. Fast fashion is very common these days and shops like ZARA, H&M, and TOPSHOP are the biggest producers of it. This is why we have to consider when we buy clothes. Be reasonable. Don't buy clothes every single day.

Wants and needs vary, a simple definition is needs being things you must have to survive most which fit under the criteria of food, rent/mortgage things that are necessities. While wants are simply things you want to have could be a game console, a new tv or some snacks. The separation between wants and needs is that the more necessities or needs that you have the more money or time/effort you have to put into it which in some cases causes more pollution which isn't good. Aswell as adding to that with your wants, the more wants the worse it can be. So ultimately your wants and needs can affect your pollution and your carbon footprint. They can affect it with things such as lights.Also anything that affects energy can add to your footprint. As well leaving a tv on and running adds to your footprint which in some cases are wants like when you want to watch tv and then your done and leave it on it constantly adds up more and more and other things like food the more snacks and stuff you buy just because you want it also adds to your footprint. As well as your purchases this adds as well and driving around. All these things add to your footprints and can be affected by how you use them for your car. Maybe you have to drive to work but after you want to go to McDonalds, that's a want that affects the pollution. Maybe you're at the grocery store and you see some clothes that you want that affect your carbon footprint.

I 100% agree. Wants and needs are completely separate things. While food, water, oxygen, and shelter from the elements are things that we could not live without, there are so many things that we use that are unnecessary. In California, USA, the average person uses 1,191 kgs of CO2 on purchases alone. I use 119 kgs of CO2 alongside my purchases. I know that a lot of those purchases are unnecessary and I also know that it will be higher when I have to pay for everything myself, however, this is just to show the high level of wants vs needs in the world, specifically the USA and my own state.

I think that there is a part of me that wants to fuel my want, and another part that tells me to not be wasteful. I 100% agree that needs are what should be prioritized and that we should be mindful of every purchase we make, but there are some times where being frivolous is good if regulated. I think even if purchase causes waste, we can still balance the slightly unnecessary buying habits and the waste that we produce, maybe just to twice a year or something like that. Knowing that a balance between these two is the ultimate want, It begs the question- Which should/can we choose first, the fulfillment of human want, or the necessity of global cleanliness? I think that this is what the world is struggling to work past. the general public, governments, people in power, i feel, have been taking the easy route. they have been focusing on themselves and what directly affects them or their group in this moment, which is not always what we should be thinking about. they have only scraped the surface of what it means to have a balance of the two in the last couple years, and even through all the protesting and attention that this movement is getting, it just isn't enough. I know that once the necessity of global cleanliness has caught up to the people in power who chose to step aside, who chose to deal with other matters first, will be then facing a problem that they cannot handle. this is what scares me.

I agree as well. Nowadays, with social media constantly advertising new products and steadily generating new trends everyday, our consumption numbers have gone up significantly. This has caused our carbon footprint to increase. Content creators are constantly displaying a plethora of new clothes and “trendy” items they purchase consistently and influencing their thousands of followers to do the same. In my own personal experience, I see influencers on social media buy frivolous pieces of clothing that are an example of fast fashion. According to Merriam-Webster Dictionary, fast fashion is, “an approach to the design, creation, and marketing of clothing fashions that emphasizes making fashion trends quickly and cheaply available to consumers.” In other words it is cheap, poor-quality clothing, made quickly to keep up with the trends being perpetuated by social media. This clothing is not sustainable because of its poor quality and because it is a part of a trend that will most likely “go out of style” within the next few months. Once one trend fades, another is created and the cycle continues. People will continue participating in fast fashion to keep up with the trends, just to throw away those clothes in the subsequent months. All this clothing is being quickly produced and just as quickly thrown away takes a humongous toll on our carbon footprint. Giving into these trends and purchasing unneeded clothing is leading to wasteful consumption.

I agree with everything that has been said on this thread but I would like to add the aspect of how influencers can cause us to make "impulse purchases". When we see someone we really like to watch advertise a product on social media it causes us to have a more biased take on the product, as if one of our own friends had recommended it, we feel like because this "internet famous" person owns and loves this product, and since they are recommending it then it must really be a good product. But their praise may cause us to cloud our view of if the product is actually worth it or not. Many influencers just advertise products for the money even if they don't like the product and see it as a useless item. I would recommend everyone having their own unique checklist as to what is worthy to buy and what is not, and just because an influencer praises something doesn't mean it should meet your checklist. By making these impulse buys just because we saw it online and it is easy to order through amazon, we waste our time, the workers time, our money and precious resources which are limited to this world. Every time we make an unnecessary purchase we have a bigger impact on the earth because of the carbon footprint from that item being made, transported, and then dumped into a landfill. We need to cut these purchases out of our lives.

I concur. The things we need to survive, like food, water, and shelter, are known as needs. On the other hand, the things we desire, such as toys, new gadgets, and more, fall under the category of wants. Unfortunately, most of the items we purchase, including expensive clothing, end up in landfills. Anything we use that eventually breaks or becomes too small is also discarded.

I definitely agree. Purchasing things you don't need, such as clothes and other products, to merely stay "on trend" is wasteful and has a bigger impact than you think. The transportation and shipment involved in each purchase contribute to these carbon emissions. From the resources used in the production to the emissions generated during transportation, each step contributes to its overall environmental footprint. According to BBC.com, "The fashion industry is responsible for 8-10% of global emissions." Most of this impact comes from raw materials such as cotton, synthetic materials, oil, and chemicals from dyes. These wants are nonessential, while our needs are crucial to human survival in today’s society. These needs include food, water, shelter, and healthcare. Prioritizing these necessities is vital for people to live fulfilling and dignified lives.

I think that there are many things that we need to survive, but we have many things that are not absolutely necessary. For example, many things that almost everybody has in their home could be removed in order to help the environment. A gas stove is a perfect example. People have these because it is much too inconvenient to light a fire and put a pan on top every time, but stoves are a large carbon contributor. I think that people have a natural desire to make things more convenient and quicker but do not realize the impact that it has.

Hi i am Cody Hsu i think people shouldn't waste food because some people are hungry.

Absolutely, not wasting food is essential for several reasons. Firstly, it helps to reduce environmental impact by saving resources like water and energy used in food production. Secondly, it is economically prudent as it saves money spent on purchasing and preparing food. Thirdly, it aligns with ethical considerations by acknowledging the global issue of hunger and food insecurity. Finally, minimizing food waste promotes a more sustainable and responsible approach to consumption, benefiting both people and the planet.

When you hear the words wants and needs, they seem very different. But in reality, things between them typically get mixed together when thinking about it. From Difference Between Needs and Wants (with Comparison Chart) - Key Differences, “needs point out something you must have for survival. On the other hand, wants refer to something that is good to have, but not essential for survival.” For example, everyone needs to eat and drink but choosing to eat healthy or to eat junk is a want. People typically mix eating junk food to be a need because they “need to eat food”. But they don’t need to eat junk that is bad for them. They can choose to eat organic and healthier foods that are better for them and the environment around them. Besides just the basic want of not eating healthy, people may choose to eat certain foods over others due to price. A lot of foods that are organic are more expensive than foods that aren’t.
    There are many more examples that fit both wants and needs. But there are simple steps people can take to do things that are healthier and better for the environment. For food, you can eat low on the food chains, choose organic and local foods that are in season, and buy foodstuffs in bulk when possible using your own reusable container. You can also reduce your food waste by planning meals ahead of time, freezing the excess and reusing leftovers, and compost your food waste if possible. For clothing, don't buy fast fashion, buy vintage or recycled clothing at consignment shops, and wash your clothing in cold water. For shopping, buy less stuff, bring your own reusable bag when you shop, opt for a laptop instead of desktop, and look for energy star products. For home, do an energy audit of your home, change incandescent light bulbs, and switch lights off when leaving the room and unplug electronics that are not being used. Also turn your water heater down, install a low-flow showerhead, and sign up to get your electricity from clean energy. For transportation, drive less, avoid unnecessary braking and acceleration, take care of your car, and consider purchasing a hybrid or electric vehicle. For air travel, avoid flying if possible, fly nonstop since landing and takeoffs use more fuel, go economy class, and offset the carbon emissions of your travel. All these steps in the paragraph are from The 35 Easiest Ways to Reduce Your Carbon Footprint – State of the Planet (columbia.edu). All these steps are things you may want to do that go with your needs but there are better ways to fulfill the needs you are needing.

We all have something that we want and some things that we really need. Some examples of needs are shelter, food, clothings and a lot more. However, there are lots of things that aren't necessary but we still buy it. Yes, we need shoes but we don't need to buy twenty pairs of them. We might need phones but we don't need to buy a new phone every time a new phone got released. There are a lot more things that are just wants and not really necessary. We are causing a lot of pollution on things that we don't really need. We can reduce a lot of carbon footprint by buying less wants. Wants and needs aren't just for buying stuff. Do we really need to go to everyplace by car? We can also reduce a lot of carbon footprint if we take transportations like buses, MRT, or we can reduce even more by just walking. By doing these things, we can produce a lot less pollution.

I agree with you. It's important to understand the difference between what we really need and what we just want. If we cut down on non-essential purchases and choose ways of getting around like walking or using public transport instead of driving, we can help reduce pollution and protect the environment for the future. Even small actions can make a big difference.

Wants are things that make the experience of human life better, they are not necessities. Whereas needs are necessities to live. An example of a want is going on vacation, you do not need to go spend a week somewhere but people want to. This type of want increases peoples carbon footprint by a lot. Needs can also constitute as want, for example we need food, but we don’t necessarily need fast food multiple times. According to Budgeting Needs vs Wants: A How-to Guide your needs should always come before your wants, but that is not how it always goes. People would rather have fun and spend more money than stay home and only buy the essentials. Human beings typically have a tendency to confuse wants and needs. While we need a pair of shoes, we don’t need 12. Another example could be technology; technology nowadays is essential to schoolwork. However, we do not need to replace technology everytime something new comes out. A lot of people have privileges that they do not even realize, so some of their “needs' ' are really just wants but they have never had to live without them, so it has become part of their way of life. To improve our carbon footprint we need to learn how to differentiate wants and needs. We also need to learn to place limits on certain needs and not go overboard. We could do this by making Wants vs. Needs an issue and places it into the mainstream media. We should prioritize this all around the world, not just in our community. Ways we could do this is by putting it on billboards, getting the government to talk about it. Along with getting to younger audiences by making this a more prominent thing in schools that gets talked about frequently. While we teach about reducing our carbon footprints, we must also learn to do it ourselves. In the future we must strive to make our impact on planet Earth better!

While wants and needs are very different things, the line between them can sometimes get blurred. For example, we need to eat, but we may want to eat some foods over others, foods that might be more expensive or harder to come by. There is also the distinction of what we feel the need to do rather than what we actually need to do. For example, we may feel the need to drive ourselves to school, work, or extracurricular activities, when there are so many other, more sustainable transportation options to use if we even really need to get there at all.
When it comes down to it, the only things we, as humans, really need are food, water, shelter, rest, and breathable air. Everything else, from modern conveniences and appliances to fast fashion to social media, is all an add-on. Because of our society today, however, we have greatly heightened the importance of these “add-ons”, shifting our perspective of these wants into needs. To truly only have what we need, we would have to alter our society as a whole.
However, once we recognize this, there are several steps we can take to slightly tone down our wants, and incorporate them more into our needs. For example, buying organic and locally sourced food, especially food that is in season, can show support for farmers using a smaller carbon footprint. Walking and/or biking instead of driving, and using public transportation as much as possible helps reduce your carbon emissions greatly. While social media can obviously be fun, reducing time spent on electronics impacts your carbon energy footprint a great deal. And even though fast fashion can come with social pressure and it may feel necessary to buy all new clothes, thrifting and making do with what you already have is a very beneficial choice for the environment. Even small things, such as buying larger tubes of toothpaste instead of a ton of travel-sized tubes to reduce plastic waste, buying deodorant in a non-plastic container instead of using your favorite brand that comes in plastic, and saving snacks such as chips in a one-serving-sized plastic bag for special occasions, and instead eating less heavily packaged, healthier food that will do a better job filling you up and reduce the packaging waste.
It’s never easy to sacrifice wants, and it can be hard at times to distinguish them from needs in the moment, but if we all tried doing just one thing to cut down on our unnecessary indulgences, our world, and our society, would be wanting and needing less from us.

Wants and needs are very different from each other because a want is something that you do not need but you desire to have. A need is something that is needed for human survival. When it comes to spending, a need should be 50% of your budget and a want should be 30% of your budget. A want is something that can improve your quality of life. Wants may be helpful or make life easier but unless you die without them they are not considered needs. A need includes food, water, clothing, shelter, and medical care. Needs are those items that are required for life and do not change with time. As opposed to, wants are those items that are desired by an individual either right now or in future. Therefore, wants might change over time. Some people choose wants over needs because they have a self centeerd outlook on life. They are self indulgent, pleasure seeking and unrestrained when it comes to satisfying their desires. Needs are secondary and only come into the picture if they provide personal pleasure or satisfaction. Understanding the difference between wants and needs frees us from unnecessary burdens and begins to align our lives with more lasting fulfillment. Before we buy stuff that we want, consider these questions: Do I need it? What do I gain from this? How much does it cost? With these questions, it will help you decide whether or not you should buy the product. Adding limits to what we want, we can make the world a better place. Having the latest technology is typically considered a want rather than a need. While technology can enhance productivity, communication, and entertainment, it's not essential for basic survival or well-being.

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I agree that you should have a budget on the amount you spend on the things you want but we all only live once and what's the point of not having what you want. Spending half your money on the necessities also seems a little excessive. You could just lower how much you're buying of everything in general. You said that a want is just meant for personal pleasure and based on that if you don't buy your wants you'll just be bored. Wants and needs don't have to carry burdens unless you make it have one. I would say that asking the questions like if you need it or how much it costs would create more of a burden just live life. I see where you're coming from with the new technologies but the consumers will buy it no matter what because it's “better”. Also with that everything that is a need can be too expensive like certain pieces of clothes. So like I said earlier, limiting how much is spent on needs can help. Also those questions should be the ones we think about because people really make dumb decisions in the heat of the moment. Some other people don't really think about those questions. Also thinking about how these things impact our lives, a want is sometimes needed for human survival. I disagree on how you said modern technology is a need because if you have an older phone or car it could create a lot of problems in your life. Like having to spend more money on your car which would increase spending on the carbon footprint. A need is not always something for human survival because you’ve gone so many years without something that is a need and not having it for a little more doesn’t really matter.
https://news.climate.columbia.edu/2018/ … footprint/
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When we are buying things, I think we have to consider if the "thing" you want is necessary. For example, air, water, food, or clothes are necessary for you. Things that you want, should not be bought often. I know humans like to buy thing they like, but this is causing the world to collapse.  So, after today consider if the "thing" you are buying is necessary or not. Start caring about our own world and make it to a better one!!!

Sorry, typo. It should be Necessary.

Many people say they need to have something in order for them to be happy, but need is something we need in order to survive like food, water, air, shelter, and warmth. Buying a car or phone isn't a need, we won't die even if we don't have them. Want is extra things to keep us happy and comfortable like a transportation to go. If we can sort out what we actually need and what we just want, we can save many resources not buying unnecessary products like plastic toys, models, etc. We don't need a Lego set in order to live. For example, if we can save our money buying Lego the plastic pieces might become trash and end up floating in the ocean or laying there in a garbage dump. If we think buying little things won't hurt the planet, each small purchase adds up until we kill many habitats and ecosystems. We have to start thinking to do the right thing and buy important things that can really help you when you buy it.

I agree, sometimes we feel like we are just buying something little, but if everybody thinks this way and we keep buying them, it is going to create a lot of pollution. We should really think about whether what we are buying is really necessary. We don't need thirty pairs of basketball shoes.

Wants and Needs are very different considering what is a necessity to live or compared to luxuries. Needs are an essential to live. Such things like a home, transportation, food, clothing, etc. You can cut back on some carbon footprint for needs by cutting down on things like transportation. For example, on a nice day maybe you can take a walk to school or ride bike instead of driving. Another example could be rather than going somewhere to eat like a restaurant you could cook something homemade at your own house. Most of people’s carbon footprint comes from transportation. People like to ride dirt bikes, or side by sides, etc. for fun. If you find other things to do besides things with motors, you could bring it down way more. Through this you can even cut back needs, because even our needs aren’t fully a necessity. Everyone has wants, as we are human. We want to go places such as the mall, the movies, the fair, etc. But there are some alternatives to make our world a better place. For example do you really need to go to the mall? Think about do you really need more clothes? You buying more clothes causes them to produce more, causing more pollution. As opposed to going thrifting, which will decrease carbon footprint and pollution. You and your friends want to hang out to go to the movies. Why not instead go to someones house and use a projector to watch a movie? If we all work together to cut back on our carbon footprint, we can make the earth healthier. Such simple things are possible.
Need or Want? | BioEd Online

We all want things we can’t have whether it’s clothes, traveling, etc. Wants and needs are very different. Needs are the things we need in life such as a roof over your head, water, and food. Wants are things we don’t necessarily need but buy for our own entertainment. To fix our limitations for wants, we must know if we need to buy it or not. Before we buy stuff that we want, consider these questions: Do I need it? What do I gain from this? How much does it cost? With these questions, it will help you decide whether or not you should buy the product. Adding limits to what we want, we can make the world a better place. Overconsumption occurs in a lot of countries with the excessive use of something.
Overconsumption is one of the causes of bad climate change and environment damage. Overconsumption can worsen greenhouse gas emissions and cause bad pollution. Which is why thinking before we buy something can help the world become a better place. After all, this is our home.

Exactly. Think before you do something that can be harmful to our precious yet dying planet. You might want something, but you might not need it. This is the case where you decide: Do you want to buy something that's unnecessary just because you saw it, liked it, and wanted to buy it? Or do you want to help reduce carbon footprint and save the Earth? Of course, you can still reward yourself with small gifts, but I hope we can all focus on saving the Earth. In other words, we are just preventing our greedy actions from destroying our planet.

Having the latest technology is typically considered a want rather than a need. While technology can enhance productivity, communication, and entertainment, it's not essential for basic survival or well-being. Access to technology may vary depending on individual circumstances and societal expectations, but it generally falls into the category of wants rather than needs.

i want to say that alot of things now is a want than a need, the technology can produce and mke things humans want ,i woould say to be honest i would  agree that huans use needs to cover up their wants

so some things in the planet earth isnt needed for us when humans make it,so is it true we need it or is it jsut the fact that we want it? if we really need it does it effect the enviroment or if we want it does the enviroment realy need the things that we want but isnt needed. now technology can make things umans want but is it really a need?

wants or needs? DO WE NEED ALL OF IT?

What is a want and what is a need to you? For me, wants are things that aren’t necessarily something we have to have, instead it is something we desire. A need, on the other hand, to me, is something that is necessary for all human beings. That counts as water, food, clothing, etc… So, after looking at my carbon footprint, I realized that I can cut down on many wants. Things like using my electronics too much and buying things. Of course, clothing is crucial for human beings but, we don’t need to be buying excessive clothing. Sometimes, having too much is a waste because we might not even wear it at all. So, we should look through our closets once in a while and if we have excessive clothing or just anything in general, we can donate them to charity. Instead of wasting money on things for leisure, we should spend our money wisely, and buy things we actually need more of. It could even be spending our money on charities and donating to them. If yo don’t wanna spend money, then of course, as I mentioned, you can donate your things.

I think that the question you posed is and incredibly important question and a question that people should be asking more often. In so many conditions, people indulge in commodities that they "desire" or "want", usually consuming goods that are not necessary for their wellbeing. I think that it is great that you came to the realization that you can cut down on things that fall outside of your needs and it shows a level of maturity and control that many people need to learn. If people in general can cut down on the need to buy things (clothes, cars, electronics, beauty products, etc.) just because they want them, whether because they saw an ad or heard about it on social media, it would contribute to the continued fight against climate change and show that people are willing to buy products that they need and not just want. If this happened, there would not be as great a need to over produce cheap products and the impact on the climate and world in general would be amazing.

In my opinion, everyone can reduce his footprint if they be aware about what they need and what they want. Many objects seem necessary but it is not true.

I agree with you, only we only pay attention when we have an idea of what we are doing. As a student I don't pay attention to what I consume.

i am agree

I agree. In the modern era, it's very common for people to buy things not because they need them for survival or convenience, but rather because they "look nice" or are attractive to them in some other way. We must realize when this is happening, and try to cut back on purchases like these. That way the materials otherwise used to make these products can be diverted for more environmental purposes, and your money can be spent on something more essential to your everyday life.

Is traveling a want or a need? Well, that depends on how you want to live and what you prioritize in life. If you believe that the most important thing in life is to visit family and friends abroad, discover new things, and see many different places while experience different cultures, then yes, traveling is a need. However, if you believe that what you need is just basic things to make sure you survive such as things like food, water and shelter, then no, traveling is not a need for you. Cutting down on expenses and pollution can always be good, but if it's how you want to live your life, then do it! Some people may be willing to give up basic needs to be able to enjoy what they think is most important in life. Prioritizing also has to do with your living conditions and your financial status. If you have good living conditions and financial status, then you may claim that materialistic things are part of your needs, while others with poor living conditions and bad financial status may strongly disagree. Moreover, some may argue that non of these are their needs. All they need may be just love either by parents, family, friends or a partner. They would be willing to give up all they have for that particular person or group of people. So, really, there's no an actual how-to guide on whether something is a want or need. It all depends on what you want to prioritize, because after all it is your life. Cutting on expenses and air pollution is obviously preferred, but if you have really decided that is not what you want, then no one can physically force you to do it.

I think that traveling is something that pollutes a lot and it is more of a want than a need honestly, in my opinion traveling is good for your peace mind and disconnecting from
reality but when you travel quite a lot is not necessary and it pollutes a lot, so we should think more about the environment when traveling.

I both disagree and agree. Travelling can be a want, you want to go to Mexico with your family, or you want to go to Japan with your best friend. Those are wants. Travelling can also be a need though. People often travel for their line of work which then turns into a need. Sometimes you need to travel to make a living. So I see how flights can be a want and a need at different times. saying all this my opinion is that lots of flights can and should be avoided. Travelling for fun is great every once and a while, but if you look to help save the climate then avoiding flights should be a priority.

i both disagree and agree with you. i think that it depends on how you look at it. For example, some people consider traveling as a want because its something they enjoy to do because they like exploring and new experiences. however for others, travelling can be seen as a need, especially if it has to do with work, education, or essential purposes, like getting medical treatments or visiting family members. i think that it really just various from person to person with their individual circumstances. with all that said, travelling is something fun to do but if you want to help save the planet then i think you should consider how much your travelling and try and reduce it as much as possible.

I think that even if traveling is a want and not a need, it can be extremely helpful in seeing the bigger picture and having some perspective. Many people unconsciously assume that everywhere else in the world is making the same effort and having the same outcome as their country. When traveling, you often realize that some countries have done so much more to address the climate crisis. You may also see people and places that inspire you to continue fighting climate change, be it pristine or destroyed places.

I think that travelling can be both a want and a need. We travel almost every day whether it’s by bussing, driving, or flying on a plane for various reasons. Sometimes we’ll travel somewhere because we want to, which may include going on vacation or even driving to the beach. But most of the time when we’re travelling it’s for something we need to do. Like getting to work, buying groceries, or going to school. I’m sure there are ways we can travel somewhere which will be more sustainable, but in some cases it’s unavoidable. Some people don’t have access to public transport and they live in remote areas where it’s too far to walk.

For the most part I agree with this because as someone who has only really traveled for vacations and getaways, I can see how environmentally impactful (negative) this is, but I if I'm being honest, I tend to not think about it as much since I only focus on the fact I get to go and enjoy a holiday. But I also disagree in some aspects because ever since I moved to a different state, away from most family, I recognize that traveling is an essential aspect in my life, in order to see family and have those bonding opportunities I otherwise would not, I find it almost a necessity to fly home. Obviously when the cost is factored into it, I think most middle/lower class families would drive instead of fly, but honestly, most long-distance traveling isn't sustainable and isn't just going to suddenly disappear.

I think that travelling is both a want and a need. Sometimes we travel to gain access to things that are not in our country (i.e. clothes, certain shops, etc.). Sometimes, we travel to visit family members who we don't see often. If we visit a family member that we don't see because they have (example) a medical condition that needs to be taken care of, that seems more like a need compared to a want. Essentially, I believe that visiting another place just to purchase new things just shows that it is more of a want than a need.

I agree with you that traveling is a very big polluter, but I think that traveling is very necessary for a lot of people. I myself have family far away overseas and have to take 12+ hour flight to reach our destination. These are family members that are very close to us, and it is important that we meet them once in a while, but it is only about once every 1-3 years. While it is a fact that traveling emits lots of carbon into the environment, I think it is fine if done in moderation.

I agree, traveling indeed can pollute Earth. So maybe we should use more public transportation rather than private ones.

Sometimes what we want isn't what we need. If we buy less unnecessary things, then we can reduce our carbon footprint. We can also use that excess money to help people who can't even buy what they need. An example is how many women are obsessed with cosmetics when they already have enough. They just buy it for fun or to show off. But just think about how much money you can donate to the needy if you save the excess cosmetics money. So let's take action and reduce our carbon footprint together!

I think that traveling by plane pollutes a lot. In my opinion, it is good because you go to disconnect and get to know a new culture.

I think that travelling in some cases is totally necessary such as if you are visiting your family and they live overseas, but it also causes a whole lot of pollution. I dont think travelling by airplane is always needed.Such as in lockdown my family couldnt fly anywhere so we focused on driving around our province and it really opened up my eyes on how there is so much where you are and so much to see.You dont need to fly somewhere when there is so many places that people dont notice.

In my opinion travelling can be totally necessary if you need to visit family, or attend a funeral or wedding but the downside to these trips are planes create a lot of problems and pollution. In some scenarios travelling by plane is not always necessary. For instance the year when covid was around my family’s trip got canceled, so we drove to Ossoyoos and Kelowna instead. My experience was amazing and i saw how amazing places right here in our own province is.

I think that because traveling and planes is already done so much, we need to focus on making planes less of a polluter. From the little research I have done, there are fuels being tested that do not emit carbon. These are known as biofuels and if we are able to implement these, it would make drastic changes. Things like high speed rails and electric cars cannot travel over water, so planes are not something we can just get rid of. Families need to be able to visit each other and international travel helps bring humans together and sticking together is what we need to do to combat climate change.

I believe while traveling and modes of transportation like cars, boats, planes, etc. are massive contributors to many peoples’ carbon emissions, traveling shouldn’t be thrown out as a whole. Although it’s not all of the time, traveling is still a necessity sometimes. I believe humanity needs travel for many reasons, from economic trade to just simply seeing family; not to mention the amount of countries that rely of tourism to stay afloat. I think that if humans are so determined to become more advanced while at the same time reversing the effects of climate change, we should focus more on creating biofuel instead of cutting off all possibilities of traveling internationally. Traveling should definitely be cut back on if completely unnecessary, especially through air travel as it’s one of the main contributors to air pollution and has no alternative fuel to be even remotely eco-friendly.

Traveling shouldn't be looked down upon or discouraged, even though it and other forms of transportation such as cars, boats, planes, etc. are huge contributors to c02 emissions. Traveling is a necessary part of the human life. it gives us the opportunity to explore new places and cultures, learn new things, and make connections with people from all over the world, to take this way would be depriving the new generation of humans from a once in a lifetime experience. while the consequences of air travel are real I strongly believe we should be putting more effort into producing biofuel rather than removing all international travel.

In our society, there are always changing trends and micro-trends circulating. Many of these will only be popular for a few months or less. When we see something that's trendy, we often don't think about how long we will wear it or how long it will last. We may see something in store or online we like, but never wear it. It's important to know how clothes you like differ from the clothes you like on yourself and what you will wear it with. Sometimes you need to give yourself time to see if you will wear it in the long run.

replying to carbonara123 i agree and i feel like a lot of people dont understand how wasteful it is to buy fast fashion that bis trending because you only wear it a couple of times and then forget about it in the back of their closets, because it is no longer in style. we waste so much trying to make cheap, bad quality items that will eventually be thrown out because people feel they cant wear stuff after it is out of style.

I completely agree with this. Sure, it's nice to buy all the trendy clothes and be in style, but not everyone takes into account how much waste it causes. When you're planning on buying clothing, it's much more beneficial to invest into something more expensive that will last in the long run instead of something cheap that will only last for a couple wears. There are many brands that intrigue you with fast-fashion, but most things are poor quality and are meant to last as long as the trends do. These companies we're buying from don't care about the waste, they only want to make money. They know that once an article of clothing becomes popular on social media, people will go crazy to get their hands on them quickly. By purchasing  from them, we're giving more money to make more cheap clothes and cause more waste.  In my opinion, trendy clothes are most definitely a want.

I think trendy cloths would be a want instead of a need, because although cloths are a need, it being trendy is not. as a teen there is some pressure of keeping up with the trends, especially in cloths, and top clothing brands, but most of them are just mass-produced and after the trends have moved on to another type of clothing, that once trendy top you bought is now just a piece of clothing that you might not want to wear anymore due to another trendy top that is better. A lot of trendy cloths get dumped, and end up in the land fill, swell as create green house gas, contributing to climate change

I agree it’s a want. We are constantly being influenced to buy more. Clothes especially. The issue with trendy clothes is that they’re being produced at a mass amount, the factories that they’re made in produce a lot of pollution and the clothes that aren’t bought end up getting thrown out. We too throw out clothing when it’s not “trending” anymore. It’s so harmful to the environment because a lot of materials are used to make clothes and most of it ends up in a landfill.

I agree with Elaria that trendy clothes are definitely affecting the planet in a negative way, but as a teenager who's easily influenced by trends and other things seen on social media, it's hard to not cave into these trend clothes as it seems to now be society's norm. I think a good alternative to these trendy pieces is getting more pieces of clothing that you will continue to rewear after these trends come and go. It is hard to not purchase these trendy pieces when it does feel good to keep up with what's popular but another way to stay trendy is to thrift or make pieces yourself.

I agree with you, we are a society built on overconsumption. The waste of fast fashion is incredibly huge. The amount of clothing we purchase and throw out each year is absurd. Companies like SHEIN don’t help with this. Furthermore, thrifting is supposed to be the best way we can dispose of clothing but places like goodwill send their clothing to countries in Africa- which destroys their local economy and leads to piles of clothing on their beaches. (https://www.insideedition.com/mountains … hana-69935). We can reduce this by not buying fast fashion and instead buying in quality over quantity. Of course, this is dependent on your financial situation, but the earth, Ghana, and the employees being overworked making all the cheap clothing will thank you.

From my perspective, phones are a necessity in the modern era due to their fundamental role in communication, access to information and various utilities. However, the choice of phone type may vary depending on individual preferences and needs. In short, they are essential, but personal choice plays an important role.

I agree with you. Certain Wants and needs are definitely different especially with something like a phone and like you said it Vareis on the person. On terms of supporting our environment, we often only focus on what we want and disregard what impact it might have on the environment.

I completely agree that phones are an essential part of life today as phones act as a very efficient method to communication, access to information, and a multitude of utilities. Phones are a very useful device due to their extreme multi-functionality. The main downside to phones is the way they’re made. Phones are made up from many components such as rare metals, and the process for creating each phone emits mass amounts of carbon. So although the production of phones is a major contributor to the world’s carbon footprint; they are very essential to modern day societies and should remain within them. Phones are most definitely a need, not just a want.

I agree, phones are a basic necessity in the modern human world because of how much our world depends on them. We need them for communication, for traveling, etc. Phones are the one thing that everyone will more then likely have in their life time because of how much we need them and use them. We also all want one because of social media and what not so it seems like phones are a want and a need but mainly a need.

Brands like ZARA, and H&M are some of the many brands that do what is known as “fast fashion”. If you have any social media you know very well that trends come and go a lot. These brands grab on to these trends and as soon as they are out of style, the clothes are thrown in a landfill and the cycle continues. You might say that not all brands do this but without proper research you might not know. Another point is that the clothes are not good quality and are made from plastic. In 2021 the fast fashion industry released almost 900 million metric tons of CO2. If that doesn’t tell you that something needs to change,  I don't know what else will. The next question you might have is “what is the alternative?” Well I have just the answer. Thrifting, getting hammy downs, and consigning clothes are all ways you can not participate in fast fashion. If you are worried about quality, there are plenty of higher end thrift stores all over and it not like all clothes at thrift stores are bad. Also, using clothes to their fullest and even repairing clothes yourself can help them have a longer life span. Overall, fast fashion is awful for the environment, and there are so many other, better options to get your clothes.

There are so many that we want. I would like to go shopping, get a new phone, buy new clothes and MAYBE some necessities but most of the things I want are not needs. I have the things I need and the more we buy, the more factories are producing our wants and using more fossil fuels. So in the end is it really worth it? I think the effect on our planet is much more important than all the things we want. So maybe next time, when you're shopping, stop and think for a second if it's a want or a need and how it just might affect the Earth.

Wants and needs are something we all struggle with especially high school students. Many students want an iPhone or AirPods, we don't need it but we would like to have it. These students also struggle with understanding their needs in school. Students think they need the best clothes to go to school but in reality, you need the best grades to pass. Students need good studying habits and school materials, not designer belts and brand-name jeans.

A large issue in carbon emissions is the demand and production of goods. Businesses make more to provide for the amount demanded by the consumers. This causes increase in waste and carbon emissions during this process increase as well, impacting the environment. However, what if we start to reduce our consumption and begin to question if we can begin to be conscious of how much we are buying. Some ways you can do this is to switch to reusable products, such as metal straws, water filters, and cloth bags. You can also support sustainable brands that use eco-friendly materials and practices. By doing this, less waste will reduce your carbon footprint and communities can start to become more environmentally friendly.

I agree and disagree with certain aspects of this person’s view on wants and need. I agree with their view on wants and need because I get how not every consumer needs more materials, food, and clothes etc. Even though the consumer doesn’t really need more materials and etc, I think i also disagree because some people eat and buy this things that makes them happy which help the world so it really just depends on the citation and the person.

My total carbon footprint is 16,522 and actions I will take to lower that number is to eat less meat and more fruit and to not get the latest technology so often. Having the latest technology is definitely more of a want then a need even though the newer tech tends to work faster and better. I get a new phone about every 2 years, but I don't believe it's necessary to get a new one constantly.

There are son many different ways for people to get protein provided by meat without actually eating meat that it is appalling that people chose to still eat the corpses of dead animals, and calling it food. Plant based meat is a much better alternative. It is healthier, better for animals, and in some cases, it tastes better. Now, there is a debate that some people make: Plant based meat is expensive! That brings me to another point, plant based meat costs should be lowered and readily available for everyone.

I agree. One of the primary sources of meat, beef (cow meat), is detrimental to the environment because the digestion process of cows produce a lot of methane that is released into the atmosphere. The US is also the country that consumes the most amount of beef by a long shot, so even switching to other meat sources like chicken, is a way to help our ecosystem and reduce the amount of beef production. Plant based meat is also another great option, although it isn't available to everyone, which is unfortunate. However, in the future, more affordable plant based meet would be an excellent solution,

I hope your mom buys plant based meat for family dinner and gets food poisoning and dies.

I can totally see what you are saying for this point and that killing animals contributes to climate a fair bit, but i believe that consuming meat is a personal choice and shouldn't be something we should shame others for doing. So many people get there income from selling meat and that is the only source of income, and putting them out of business would create even more homelessness in the world. But to touch on what i said at the start, it is a personal choice and the best thing you can do if you feel strongly about this is educating people about this (like you are doing) and sharing your perspective. Me personally i dont eat much red meat, but i do eat chicken and fish and i find that perfectly fine.

abmcfly, while I think Gatlin_696969 went a little to far, the consumption of meat is part of the cycle of life, while I think factory farms that kill thousands of animals a day are very bad, humanity has been sustainably living of animals since cave men with no problems until the industrial revolution, eating animals isn't bad, the industrial killing of animals is.
ps. there is no plant based meat that tastes nearly as delicious as a good medium rare steak.

While there may be many ways to consume food in a more sustainable fashion, most options are not realistic for the average family. With food prices rising, we have to consider that not everyone can afford a plant based, organic, whole foods meal on a daily basis. It is unfair to assume that those people are doing this with a total disregard for the planet, or that they simply cannot be bothered. Abmcfly, you argue that the cost of plant based meat should be lowered, but it really is not that simple. While I am not here to defend large corporations, I have to assume that they can’t change the price tags on a whim. While you may be in a position to have a plant based diet, it is important to remember that not everyone is, and to not imply that everyone who eats meat is a bad person fo doing so.