Global garbage production is on the rise partly due to there being a shorter life cycle for products. This shorter life cycle (aided by planned obsolescence) is more profitable for manufacturers, but more detrimental to our pocket books and the natural world.
From disposable cutlery to computer printers with self-destruct chips that engage after a preset number of prints, to frequent upgrades that make previous models unwanted, we have been living a disposable lifestyle that has been creating mountains of waste.
The apparent convenience of disposable stuff is harmful as it hides unintended consequences - solving one problem creates a host of new ones. Convenience now often turns out to be terribly inconvenient later.
As long as our brainwashing leads us to believe that such flagrant waste is acceptable, we will be reluctant to choose more sustainable practices.
Disposable stuff, disposable lives, disposable world VS quality stuff, quality lives, quality world. We decide.
It can be as easy as just washing the spoon when you are done with it.
My husband has worked in the plastics industry his whole life. Although it provided a very good living, it always depressed him to think that everything he produced would end up in a landfill (plastic cup lids, food containers, etc). After we relocated south, he was unable to find work in a related field, so he accepted a low wage job as a grounds keeper for a big beautiful resort that sits on the edge of the bay. He'll now be working outside, not in a windowless factory inhaling plastic fumes. He's actually looking forward to the change. It's a total reboot.
ReplyDeleteClamco, Congratulations to your husband - his health and karma are likely to improve. I have done grounds work for most of my life as I love working outside. Hope he enjoys the reboot!
DeleteAs I understand it all the plastic is made from oil. So if we are running out of oil, why are we making all that disposible stuff from a comodity we are running out of. Either we aren't running out of oil or we are too stupid to notice.
ReplyDeleteWe may be told we can re cycle plastic but in many places, where we faithfully put out our recyclables, the stuff is actually thrown in the landfill. The reason, no one is buying the recyclibles. most of the recycling is done in China. Therefore the stuff has to be shipped there. If it costs too much it doesn't happen. In the comox valley they don't recycle glass. There isn't any money in it. Shipping stuff to China for recycling doesn't make sense. it wastes more energy to ship it there. The recycling "joke" is just to make us feel good and to keep purchasing things in containers which just are a waste of money.
Today's new appliances are built to last about 5 yrs. Washers, dryers, fridges, stoves used to go 20 yrs. the new flat screen t.v.s, don't last long at all. The old style t.v.s, well the last one went for 20 yrs. the current one, which I inherited from my sister is doing about 10 yrs so far. Keeping one t.v. has not only been better for the enviornment, but it saves me a lot of money.
The only time you might want to use plastic forks is when you are having a very large picnic and no one wants to do the dishes. Once a year is about it. Resturants like disposible items because they don't have to hire a person to clean it. Saves them money, or so they think.
e.a.f., In Edmonton, AB I saw huge bales of plastic being buried in the city's landfill because there were no markets for it. They figure they will dig it up when markets improve... if markets improve.
Delete