overconsumptionn.
/ˌəʊvəkənˈsʌm(p)ʃn/, U.S. /ˌoʊvərkənˈsəm(p)ʃən/ The action or fact of consuming something to excess. In later use also: excessive use of natural resources, esp. in industrial processes.ⓘ
ΚΠ
1695 J. Locke Further Considerations conc. Raising Value of Money 39 Contracting Debts in Foreign Countries by an over-consumption of their Commodities.
1849 U.S. Mag. & Democratic Rev. June 563 It induces specie to flow out until a collapse takes place, through the over consumption of goods on credit.
1974 Daily Colonist (Victoria, Brit. Columbia) 15 Nov. 1/6 The Norwegian delegation is pushing a conference resolution stating that overconsumption impairs the health of the affluent.
2011 Independent 3 Oct. 18/4 Overconsumption by rich western nations is as big a driver of global environmental degradation as the rapidly growing populations of developing countries.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2021; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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