One of the biggest reasons that pollution is such a major issue in modern society is because of how capitalism relentlessly encourages the purchasing and consumption of goods. And despite the stakes of increasing global temperatures heightening by the day, consumer culture is only getting worse.

Recently, a Reddit user on the xQcow subreddit (named after a well-known video game streamer named xQc) shared a picture of a fortune cookie they received, presumably at a Chinese restaurant. In large font, the text read not the titular fortune but rather the logo and URL of an online casino called Stake, which seems a troubling development.

"Crazy how much this ... is spreading!" — Photo Credit: Reddit

Ever since the Supreme Court overturned a 25-year-old law to more or less legalize sports-related gambling throughout the United States in 2018, as reported by ESPN, the betting industry's financial fortunes have skyrocketed, though not without plenty of collateral damage.

Heaps of research (like this page from Kellogg Insight) and dozens of exposés (like this John Oliver segment) have already been published, dedicated to how these companies have destroyed thousands of people's lives and continue enabling them well after they develop gambling addictions. But an undercovered, if not fully underrated aspect of the gambling explosion is how it contributes to the planet's overheating.

Advertising inundation as a major part of both gambling marketing specifically and capitalism literally encourages excessive purchasing by consumers, which at the end of the day contributes to planet-overheating pollution (stemming from production of these goods, among other factors) and worsens our overfilling landfills.

There are a variety of ways for individuals to counteract these inherently harmful byproducts, including anything from researching eco-conscious companies before purchasing to frequenting your local thrift stores to joining an appropriately-named Buy Nothing group, which can help you find used goods for free.

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