Nowadays, people tend to throw away old items and buy new ones instead. Why do people behave in this way? What problems does this cause for individuals and society? Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience. |

📌 IELTS Writing Task 2 Question

Nowadays, people tend to throw away old items and buy new ones instead.
Why do people behave in this way? What problems does this cause for individuals and society?
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

In recent times, many people prefer to throw away old items and purchase new ones instead. This behaviour is largely influenced by modern consumer culture and technological changes, and it creates several serious problems for both individuals and society.

One of the primary reasons behind this trend is the rise of consumerism. Advertisements constantly promote the message that new products offer better quality, style, or status, which encourages people to replace their belongings more frequently. Moreover, rapid technological advancement makes certain items, especially electronic devices, feel outdated quickly. As a result, people are tempted to upgrade even when their current belongings are still functional. Another factor is the low cost of mass-produced goods. Since repairing old items is often more expensive and time-consuming, many individuals find it easier and cheaper to simply buy something new.

However, this behaviour leads to a number of concerning issues. At the individual level, continuously purchasing new products can create financial strain, as people fall into unnecessary spending habits. Over time, this may lead to budgeting problems or even debt. At the societal level, the amount of waste generated from discarded items has increased dramatically. Landfills are overflowing with plastic, textiles, and electronic waste, which take decades or even centuries to decompose. This not only harms the environment but also contributes to pollution, resource depletion, and climate change.

In conclusion, people tend to dispose of old items due to consumer-driven culture, technological upgrades, and cheaper manufacturing. Although this behaviour may seem convenient, it results in financial difficulties for individuals and serious environmental challenges for society. Promoting repair culture and encouraging sustainable consumption can help reduce these problems in the long term.

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⭐ USEFUL VOCABULARY (All Related to This Topic)

Causes Vocabulary: consumerism, advertising pressure, technological advancements, mass production, throwaway culture, declining repair habits, affordability factor
Problems Vocabulary: financial burden, overspending, excessive waste, environmental degradation, landfill overflow, resource depletion, carbon footprint
High-Level Connectors: moreover, furthermore, consequently, as a result, on the other hand, in the long run
Advanced Words: disposable mindset, sustainability concerns, psychological pressure, materialistic society, long-term repercussions

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⭐ PARAGRAPH-STYLE TEMPLATE (Complete & Ready to Use)

Introduction
In today’s world, __________________________________________ (paraphrase the topic). There are several reasons why this is happening, and it leads to serious consequences for individuals and society.

Body Paragraph 1 – Causes
One major reason behind this trend is __________________________________________. This occurs because __________________________________________, which encourages people to __________________________________________. Another important cause is __________________________________________. As a result, many individuals find it easier or more appealing to replace items rather than keep using or repairing them.

Body Paragraph 2 – Problems
This behaviour leads to a number of problems. Firstly, it affects individuals by __________________________________________. This means they may struggle with __________________________________________ or face __________________________________________. Secondly, society also suffers because __________________________________________ results in __________________________________________. Over time, this can cause long-term damage such as __________________________________________.

Conclusion
In conclusion, the main reasons for __________________________________________ are __________________________________________ and __________________________________________. Although this trend may seem convenient, it creates significant issues for both individuals and society. Therefore, it is important to __________________________________________ in order to minimise these problems in the future.

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