Just another BlogTides weblog

In the past, I made reference to a “tough economy” plus had a glimpse at how perhaps it is now time for a seachange in our modes of thinking as consumers. Since that time, I have started to become aware of signs that this might not be as simple a conversion as I had hoped. I wrote what I wrote previously and then thought on it some more and arrived at the conclusion that our Western economic system and out natural inclinations are against us in any such endeavour. I guess a cynic will state that I should have deduced this from the start but I am every now and then just too guilty of being optimistic. I in truth hoped that with the need to tighten our belts that we would all start to find ways to do without the shimmering and new and be contented (at least for the short term) with what we already own. I was of the belief that now would be a good time for the rebirth of the appreciation of maintenance over replacement, but then again, maybe not.

Really, you know it is going to be a hard sell when even your own government is against you – albeit involuntarily. I have always had a problem with the fact that with many consumer electronics so often it really is cheaper to replace something before maintaining what you already own. A while ago I needed to replace the installed battery in my electric beard trimmer. The short of it is that any estimate I got on it would see me paying at least as much to replace the sodered in battery as it would have cost for the latest model of that brand of trimmer. I ended up going and buying the new model and recycling the old one – but only because they could not guarantee a very long lifespan on the old one if I got the battery replaced. that was frustrating. Another example of this is with DVD players and CD players; If your player should give up the ghost, then you could find that the cost of repairs could be as little as a few dollars (say for something like just a faulty disc loading mechanism), which is great, or it may set you back nearly as much as a new player would (if we are talking about more internal issues). Truly,who wouldn’t want to go and buy a brand new player for the similar expenditure, especially if it might happen to include additional bells and whistles and a shiny new warranty to boot? I have also championed the upkeep of your trusty household appliances whenever possible, however when I start hearing people protest that they could get a brand new appliance for just a little more than the expense of a few required replacement parts, I am not stunned that they could choose to go the new route. I have read complaints on different kitchen appliance websites from individuals who have discovered to their consternation that the cost of the rival crock pot parts (such as a replacement lid or insert) that they need would probably end up costing them roughly half the cost of that original crockpot. Ouch. When the issue of cost is a wash in the equation then most people will go for the new if for no other reason than we lack discipline on such matters, even when we know the benefits to the environment of following the mantra of ‘reduce, reuse, recycle’. I guess it is just a somewhat fuzzy concept in the back of our brains for the majority of us. Now we have this latest attempt by the US Federal Government to kick start consumer spending by introducing its recent ‘cash for clunkers’ program which is encouraging Americans to get rid of their older car for a brand new automobile. Now it could be that the majority of the trade-ins are in actual fact close to the end of their days of service, but I would not be stunned to learn that a number of still good automobiles were traded in along the way. Not shocked at all. Anyhow, at some point in the near future I honestly do expect this debate to take on a whole new feeling of urgency, however only time will tell…