“Outline the argument that rubbish is not worthless. Includes essay plan and personal reflection.”

To discuss rubbish and its worth or value, we first need to discuss consumption This essay aims to describe and outline rubbish and its impact on society with reference to concepts and theories of consumption, forming explanations for consumer habits. How and why we consume and how this activity has changed society as we know it.

Consumption refers to the acquisition, use and disposal of goods and services (Steve Hinchcliffe p.14) Rubbish is a consequence of consumption, an object thrown away or disposed of once its desired purpose has been served, when it has lost value.  But value, in this context is a complex term referring to how useful something is, the extent to which it is deemed worthwhile and able to command a price, a principle of what is right or wrong.

In contemporary Britain we are in many ways defined by our consumption. The activities we engage in, what we co…(short extract)