Why not? Because while a small number of individuals can make the choice, humanity as a whole can not. We can certainly reduce needless waste, but without industrial food production most of the planet would quickly starve, and that's not an acceptable option. We don't need to like the situation, but there are simply too many people to make non-industrial production of food and other material needs possible.

OP was talking about internet, cars, travelling, AC, refrigerators, etc. not about consumerism. You can definitely not participate in consumerism, but you'd still be using much more electricity than anyone 50 years ago.