The idea that overconsumption and materialism are killing the planet is a common refrain these days, but what exactly does it mean? 

Well, a Reddit post has shown just one example of how the unending desire for maximum profits is affecting lives, in ways both major and minor.

On the r/AntiConsumption subreddit, a post showed a video ad for a suitcase brand running on a printer at the OP's workplace to signal that the printer is out of paper. 

As the original poster wrote, "There's no need for this. I'm never gonna buy a special suitcase."

To answer the original question: If advertisements are now creeping onto devices like printers, which ostensibly do not require ad revenue to function, perhaps society's capitalist impulses have gone too far, and that is a warning we might want to heed. 

The advertising industry encourages us to be relentless consumers, getting us addicted to buying things we may not need. A whole host of societal issues have arisen from decades of mindless consumption, including a range of financial problems, but perhaps a less frequently mentioned issue is how consumer culture impacts the environment. 

Simply put, excessive purchasing contributes to planet-heating pollution (stemming from the production of these goods, among other factors) and adds more waste to already overpopulated landfills. 

There are various ways for individuals to counteract these inherently harmful byproducts. This includes researching eco-conscious companies before purchasing, frequenting local thrift stores, or joining appropriately named Buy Nothing groups, where community members can find used goods for free.

The kind of advertising bloat seen in this Reddit post drew a lot of ire from commenters.

"It just plays ads to office workers?" one user wondered. "Someone played Cyberpunk 2077 and took the wrong message," referencing the popular dystopian sci-fi video game.  

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"Wow I thought the ones at gas station pumps were bad," another response read, noting that this is far from the only instance of such advertising overreach.

But one comment summed up the situation in just 10 words: "I suppose any screen is a billboard for sale nowadays."

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