Think Twice Before You Buy!

Now our biggest environmental problems come from our own actions, our own choices, rather than pollution produced by big business.
-former Minnesota Governor Jesse "The Body" Ventura,
quoted in "Ventura: Pollution control starts with individuals,"
St. Paul Pioneer Press 24 Apr 01


This term’s topic, planned obsolescence, is a strategy many companies use in order to maximize profits. They appeal to consumers by making constant improvements to their products and services.

This has been rampant in the consumer electronics industry, and a prime example is with home entertainment centers. Many people started out watching movies at home on Beta. Those were quickly taken over by the VHR, which surprisingly was around only about a decade ago. Then DVD’s took over, and now it’s Blu-Ray. Unfortunately, all of the products that became obsolete ended up in local landfills causing a negative impact on the environment.
So consumers have something very important to think about next time they're in the market for home entertainment products.  Where will these products end up in a few years when the next best thing is around? 

By: Victoria Walton