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| A well-maintained cast iron fry pan can remain useful for hundreds of years. |
One of the many big lies.
Old is bad. New is better.
New is always better.
Buy new. Always.
Ever since consumerism began, they have had to push the Cult of the New in order to keep consumers consuming.
They invented planned obsolescence to make sure that new stuff would never get old, and it wore out prematurely by design.
The obsession with buying new stuff has fuelled unnecessary consumption, and has led to useful old stuff to be landfilled prematurely to be replaced with new and supposedly better stuff.
The waste that resulted has been enormous. We haven't managed to pave the planet, but we definitely have trashed the planet. Our waste can be found in even the remotest places on Earth.
Many types of garbage have been found tainting the bottom of the Mariana Trench, 10,000 metres deep in the ocean.
Humanity creates 2 billion tons of waste per year. That is projected to increase to 3.4 billion tons by 2050.
I fight back by making my stuff last. I am not ashamed to pay my respects to the utility of the old and still useful.
Here are a few of the non-new items that I have, although almost everything I own is either old or ancient.
- leather boots bought in 1988 and still fit for purposes like gardening.
- cast iron frying pan, age unknown but possibly nearing a hundred years old, and could last for hundreds of years more when maintained appropriately
- most of my clothes (except socks and underwear) that are too old to mention, although I have a concert shirt from a Violent Femmes concert in 1991 that I still wear. It definitely will not last a hundred years. Maybe until 2035.
- furniture bought second hand when we arrived in the Canadian Maritimes 11 years ago
- kitchenwares passed down to us from Linda's mom, many of which are now many decades old
- bicycle that I bought used 14 years ago that is still functioning as my main vehicle
- camera that I acquired for free brand new and used for over 15 years, and only recently died
- snow shoes that have lasted me for 20 winters of powdery bliss with some minor maintenance
Recognizing the value of the old, and making things last is one of the best ways to fight back against planned obsolescence and the obsession with New and Improved, which is often neither new or improved.
I like to make my stuff last as long as possible to save money, reduce waste, and deny the landfill economy of my participation.
Plus, I’ve noticed that things I have owned for a long time take on a life of their own, and become like old, comfortable and dependable friends supporting me in creating the frugal life I live.
What are some of your favourite old things that have faithfully served you for a long time? Share with us in a comment below.
When I sit and look around my home, 90% of what I see has either been passed down, bought second hand, or something given to me as a gift. I try to buy new if only absolutely necessary. After living this way for so many years, I can't imagine anything else. This is the way that I prefer. I even still have some blouses and sweatshirts that I bought back in the 90's when I was in college and I still wear them occasionally.
ReplyDeleteIt is amazing how long things can be made to last if they are used with care. Doing this with everything we own would be a value to cherish in a sane society. Eliminating waste is one of the most beneficial things one can do for the Earth and all its inhabitants.
DeleteI actually prefer old clothes to new ones, and buying second hand means items have already been lovingly prepared for further use.
- Gregg
There is something comforting about older things. Books, clothes, kitchen wares. We have my grandparents’ dishes and they are still going strong. All these things give life character. Peace, Erin
ReplyDeleteOur Le Creuset cast iron pan is from 1960 or older. And looks almost good as new https://www.facebook.com/kerkenbuurt/posts/pfbid0BDDfp39wxMyTtNbWVbuzseAtxowsNzi8PSa22MzdKSKTroSLNUjDmT4nw3CpbucSl
ReplyDeleteBought second hand, my French Mister couldn't resist, though we had one from Ikea. But I sold that at a good price to make someone else happy.
Other than that almost any piece of furniture, clothing or kitchen ware we have is second hand or mostly curb found. And otherwise it's simply very old.
Things I buy new are to last and difficult to find second hand at getting the energy AA label and quality to last longer: washing machine, to replace one that lasted 19 years. TV, to replace one that also lasted 19 years. Electric stove to replace gas stove that was given to us, but cheap Chinese product that had become unsafe. I now expect these 3 will last the rest of our lives.
Oh my gosh, I have clothes dating back to the 1990s and before...easily. My oldest item is a pair of heavy socks dating back to...1974. Yes, we are conservers, re-users, you name it, we will find a way to not buy stuff!!
ReplyDelete