25 Eye-Opening Facts About Consumption in America
Consumption shapes almost every part of life in America—from what we eat and wear to how we travel, shop, and throw things away. We’re surrounded by convenience, but that convenience comes with hidden costs: wasted resources, overflowing landfills, rising debt, and habits that are hard to break. By stepping back and looking at the bigger picture, we can see just how much our daily choices add up.
These 25 facts pull back the curtain on American consumption. Some may surprise you, some may frustrate you—but all of them are reminders that even small changes matter. Awareness is the first step toward becoming a more mindful consumer.
Food & Diet
The average American wastes about 219 pounds of food per year, roughly one pound per day.
30–40% of the U.S. food supply ends up wasted—yet millions of households face food insecurity.
Americans drink more than 38 gallons of soda annually per person, though soda consumption has declined in the past decade.
The U.S. eats about 50 billion hamburgers every year—enough to circle the Earth more than 30 times if lined up.
Nearly 60% of the American diet now comes from ultra-processed foods.
Fashion & Clothing
The average American throws away 81 pounds of clothing annually.
The U.S. is the largest importer of fast fashion, with 11.3 million tons of textile waste going to landfills each year.
Americans buy about 68 garments per year—more than one new clothing item per week.
Only 15% of used clothing in the U.S. is recycled or donated; the rest ends up in landfills or incinerators.
Energy & Transportation
The U.S. represents just 4% of the world’s population but consumes 17% of global energy.
American households use about 10,600 kilowatt hours of electricity annually, nearly double the global average.
The average U.S. commuter spends 54 hours per year in traffic congestion.
More than 275 million vehicles are registered in the U.S.—almost as many as the adult population.
Plastic & Waste
Americans generate about 4.9 pounds of trash per person per day, among the highest in the world.
Less than 9% of plastic in the U.S. gets recycled.
The U.S. throws away over 50 billion plastic water bottles annually.
Each American uses about 365 plastic bags a year—one for every day.
Technology & Media
The average American spends 7 hours per day on screens (phone, computer, TV).
U.S. households own an average of 22 connected devices (phones, TVs, tablets, smart gadgets).
Americans upgrade their smartphones about every 2.5 years, generating massive e-waste.
Shopping & Consumption Habits
70% of the U.S. economy runs on consumer spending.
The average American household carries over $6,000 in credit card debt, often tied to consumption habits.
Online shopping accounts for about 15% of all retail sales but drives a disproportionate amount of packaging waste.
Americans spend more than $1,500 per year on coffee, with disposable cups making up a huge share of waste.
The U.S. has 3% of the world’s children but consumes 40% of global toys—highlighting how early consumer habits are shaped.
Take the Pact: Buy Nothing New for 1 Week
Ready to hit pause on mindless spending? Join hundreds of mindful consumers taking the pledge to go 7 days without buying anything new. When you sign the 1-Week Pact, you’ll get a printable tracker and a step-by-step email sequence to guide you through the challenge. One week may not sound like much—but the impact adds up: less waste in landfills, fewer resources used, and money back in your pocket. Most importantly, you’ll see how capable you are of living with intention instead of impulse.
Sign the Pact below and join the movement. We will send you a series of emails to coach you through your ‘No Buy Week.’