BeyondConsumerism
Providing tools and support to families, citizens, and activists to counter our consumerist culture and to create new social norms about how to have a high quality of life and a reduced ecological footprint.
Kids and Commercialism
From babyhood on—literally—our children are being targeted by marketers. That’s turning them into little consumers, alienating them from nature, getting them used to unhealthy diets filled with junk foods, and making them want ever more stuff. Economically, societally, and ecologically, this is unsustainable and not the best path for children. But how do we change this?
Explore this section to find tips for parents to counter commercialism, ideas for reducing commercialism at school, resources for educators, and suggestions for getting your kids back outdoors.
Did You Know...
- In 2002, children could recognize more Pokémon characters than common wildlife species.
- In 2004, children were exposed to 25,600 television ads, spanning 10,700 minutes. That's 7.4 days!
- Companies spend $17 billion a year advertising to American children and some even hire anthropologists to study children’s behaviors in order to sell them stuff more effectively.
- In response to the recent recession, schools started to lease advertising space on and even inside their buses.