Consumerism is deeply rooted in the Western ideology that the Earth is meant to be conquered and subdued; the world's people of color are also frequently subject to this view. The practice of colonization is centered around the exploitation of people and natural resources. Today, people in the Global South live in poverty due to Western demand for more and cheaper goods. Most excess resources are taken from developing countries for Western use, making them unavailable to those who need them the most, and these vulnerable people are then exploited for cheap labor in the production of Western goods. As a result, these communities face poverty, pollution, and environmental degradation.