So, this one may not seem as clear as some of the other topics, like using both sides of a sheet of paper or bringing your own plastic bag, but it really falls into the same category.
I was thinking about how much our lives have changed in the past 100 years, and how easy it is now for us to access cheap stuff. I have a tonne of stuff, and it seems to be not a huge deal if I break something because I can just buy another thing for relatively little money. In fact, you almost shouldn't be too hard on yourself if you do break something, because a lot of things aren't designed for the long term -they are designed to break relatively quickly because then you'll buy more stuff. Cell phones, for instance, are really only designed to endure a year or maybe two of regular service before they seem to spontaneously quit working. These things are actually designed for the dump.
Annie Leonard goes over this process in her video, "The Story of Stuff". Although it is very generalized and not entirely accurate (I think these inaccuracies are due to her trying to make her topic more accessible to the general population) the video provides a great general overview of stuff and Life Cycle Analysis.
This lead to me to thinking that not only do I have to buy less stuff, I need to take care of the things that I own. I also need to take care of things that other people own too. Broken stuff goes to the dump, so we need less broken stuff.
I guess what I am getting at is that we need to have a sense of responsibility and ownership not just over our things, but over the world and anything in it. We only have one planet, and if we break it we can't just go to the store and buy a new one.
We need to take care of our possessions and the possessions of others. We need to consider the impact of our actions will have on our planet and other living creatures. We need to think further than our own comfort, lifestyle and convenience. We need to be responsible and accountable for what we are doing.
One small step towards this rather lofty ideal is taking care of your possessions, and when you must buy something, buy something that will last for many years. When you are finished with something, give it to someone who needs it. I realize that this idea has some fundamental problems associated with it when it comes to the economy - but I'm not suggesting to stop consuming. I'm suggesting to consume wisely. If you need (not want... need) something, buy quality wares that may cost three times more than their cheaper alternative, but will last a lifetime or more. Take care of these things and do everything possible to keep them out of landfills.
i think shoes are an easy item to start with. these days a lot of shoes are poorly made and fall apart quickly. i'd rather spend more initially, and pay to have them repaired, than to buy a new pair the next year. same with sandals!
ReplyDeleteI totally agree Yolanda! I have started just buying quality shoes that are "modular" and can be more easily repaired than more "commercial" shoes!
ReplyDeleteOnce I spent an hour arguing with a sales guy at the MEC: I wanted shoes that were not made in China and he tried to convince me that the quality was just the same (human rights considerations apart). My point: it is actually very difficult to buy good quality things that don't break quickly. We, poor consumers, are totally at the mercy of big corporations whose purpose is to suck our money, not to save the planet. Rant-rant-rant...
ReplyDeleteI feel your pain Paul! Every time I try to buy something quality/ethical etc it's always a struggle. But if more and more people start to demand it, more cooperations will have to provide the goods.
ReplyDeleteand sadly enough MEC is about as good as it gets compared to the rest of the lot...
ReplyDelete