Affluence and over consumerism are important parts of the cultural understanding of Post‐Modern America. Today’s generation stands on the shoulders of two generations that have lived in Post‐World War II America. This course will examine the questions of over consumption based on global and social history. The first is how did the United States get to this point of abundance? What are the expectations of American citizens? Do we have too much? What can be done to reverse the trends of over‐ consumption? What effect do we have on the Earth due to industrialization, continued production, and a collection of wealth? Most importantly we try to assess how we can mitigate climate crisis.