[LINK] Reuse, recycle, renew, regenerate

[Ivan Trundle]

In response to the parallel thread discussing recycling phones etc,  
here's part of what I'm trying to highlight:

http://www.business.uts.edu.au/cacom/articles/profiles/bower2.html

Whilst this initiative encourages people to re-use and not simply  
recycle, we still have the inherent problem of early disposal of  
material possessions.

But it goes deeper than that: a conversation with a retail outlet  
manager only today highlights the other part of the problem: he  
described how new washing machines are built to last less than 5  
years these days, and replacement parts are almost impossible to get  
for many leading brands, simply because it is cheaper to ditch them.

So on the one hand we have dissatisfied consumers who feel better by  
buying new 'stuff' (computers, phones, washing machines,  
whatever...), product designers who know that building things to last  
too long is folly since the manufacturer wants to sell more, more  
often, and retailers who are more than willing to sell more, more  
often yet tell their customers that things are not built to last (so  
perhaps that extended warranty is a good idea).

All in all, we (as consumers) need to demand less of our products,  
yet more of our product manufacturers.

Anyone with an interest in this might want to read an incredible  
story about the floor-covering company, Interface Carpets. They are  
on the right track, in every sense. And what an inspiration in the  
art of re-use, and making less of a footprint on the Earth.

iT