Putting the scale of our American Consumerism into perspective

I recently ran across an art project called Running the Numbers, by Chris Jordan, which visually examines the vast measures of consumerism in our society, in large intricately detailed photographs. For me, who does not have a natural math brain, statistics feel abstract and anesthetizing, making them difficult to connect with. These large photographs are joined together from thousands of smaller photographs, putting our wasteful consumerism into visual perspective.

Collectively we are committing a massive act of destruction, but in our individual anonymity, no one is accountable for the consequences. I am appalled by these scenes, and yet also drawn into them. I am not finger wagging either because I am guilty as sin of being wasteful.

Depicts two million plastic beverage bottles, the number used in the US every five minutes.


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Depicts 426,000 cell phones, equal to the number of cell phones retired in the US every DAY.


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Depicts 1.14 million brown paper supermarket bags, the number used in the US every hour.


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Depicts 106,000 aluminum cans, the number used in the US every thirty seconds.


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Depicts 60,000 plastic bags, the number used in the US every five seconds.


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