It struck me today, that there is a fundamental question at the core of all of this:
Do governments and industry really want to create a sustainable world? The answer must be
no. Truly.
Why is this the case?
Well, consider the design of goods, they are generally not designed to last: the encouragement is to spend money ever more quickly.
I have a Toyota Yaris. On a dealer service [34000miles] I got a ‘recommended’ replace split anti-roll bar [ARB] bushes. The price £190.
I explored the web and found a discussion about ARB and that because of the way they are fitted it is likely they will be split. Also there were suggestions that Toyota [and for this read many producers] will economise on the bush material to cut manufacturing costs, knowing they may get some in-warranty replacements and then they’ll get replacements outside warranty for most of which they get more money. The bushes, it seems cost in the region of £30-40 so the rest is labour and profit.
With the car trade in the state it’s in, or any other sector, there may be a tendency to want to drive for more income now.
By using a lesser material [if that's the case] they encourage the use of more raw materials knowing that the initial bushes won’t last very long. They then use more raw materials on the replacements as well as more energy, and create more waste. All in the name of money.
These run counter to sustainability where they could use better quality from the start that could last much longer.
So Toyota don’t feel left out – the same was true of nylon hosiery post-war. They found they could create hosiery that would last a long time – yet it was not, for them, commercially good, so they created built-in obsolescence – the concept is rife in commerce. Hosiery that snags and ladders, so that you have to replace it.
Or they use the fashion excuse so that you feel obliged to buy the next trend. Once two seasons are bought into why not four…then you’ll feel you have to buy more, and then the media get involved to help put pressure on you to buy the next best thing – even the so called environmentally sound people are doing it – buy green, buy more green, buy the latest fashion green.
Industry, fashion and the media all want to make money, and they rely on trends, your developed vulnerability and obsolescence to ensure that you keep buying what they are selling.
These people really don’t want sustainability because it means less sales and potentially less income.
Can you see Microsoft releasing Office 2010 and supporting it for 15 years without launching a replacement? Can you see Sony Ericcson launching new phones every ten years rather than every few months? Can you see Lloyds TSB sticking with the same products for ten years without adding in the new extra plus plus account?
They even invest in and encourage research to find the next tweak to guarantee they’ve got something new to persuade you you need to buy more.
Sustainability and the much vaunted pace of life is…for the next post,
Finn
PS: Shout about it when you feel you’re being screwed with poor quality when they claim it’s good. Don’t accept it when your car starts falling apart after four years, or when the manufacturer says after a year that you shouldn’t expectit to last longer.
Take a chill pill, keep you stuff for an extra season or couple of years. Find an alternative supplier or trader and give them the money instead [often less]. Get second hand.
Relax…
‘Foundations of Relaxation: Discover balance and set yourself up for life’ ebook:
Tags: Challenge, Decisions, Group behaviour, Perspective, Sustainability, Value
Greatings, Ugh, I liked! So clear and positively.
Thanks
Socco