by Kate Schneider
For any of you wanting more information on planned
obsolescence, there’s a really good documentary that extrapolates on the
concept in more detail starting with its history.
Beginning in the 1920’s, planned obsolescence was first executed by light bulb manufacturers to purposefully shorten the lifespan of their products in order to generate more profits from more sales. From there on, a number of companies started implementing the same idea with their products as they quickly realized they could make more money manufacturing unsustainable goods. Our profit-driven economy over the past century has enabled and allowed for corporations to exploit scarce resources for the sole purpose of remunerative benefits, all the while leaving environmental concerns to fall to the wayside.
Beginning in the 1920’s, planned obsolescence was first executed by light bulb manufacturers to purposefully shorten the lifespan of their products in order to generate more profits from more sales. From there on, a number of companies started implementing the same idea with their products as they quickly realized they could make more money manufacturing unsustainable goods. Our profit-driven economy over the past century has enabled and allowed for corporations to exploit scarce resources for the sole purpose of remunerative benefits, all the while leaving environmental concerns to fall to the wayside.
This goes well beyond light bulbs; but attentive people can partly reverse it.
ReplyDeletehttp://zacherydtaylor.blogspot.com/2013/01/partial-reversal-of-planned.html
However in order to do more we need to stop passing laws making their activities secret instead of laws requiring disclosure of fraud or abuse and corruption etc.