Throw away society

[davieG]

When you're asked to walk/bus instead of driving to conserve energy and reduce pollution it seems strange that we're so hell bent on having a complete throw away society.

Two examples yesterday.

I have a hedge trimmer, admittedly quite old but still serviceable in that it's a bit blunt. I made enquiries to have it sharpened and it cost more than a new one, which I was advised to buy.

I've just had an eye test and it has shown a very marginal depreciation, so new lenses? Err no new glasses as they wont replace lenses in glasses more than 2 years old.

When you think of all the energy, resources and transportation needed to make and deliver those products catching the bus to town seems somewhat futile

[Zingari]

throw this thread away and get a new one

seriously though ; irons, kettles , toasters, hand drills etc; (even washing mashing machines and fridges) have indeed become so cheap that indeed they are not worth attempting repair.

i was in B and Q a few months ago and they were selling service washing machines at less than £120 ; so i bought one and put it in the garage still in its wrapper , the other day our old one packed up and i didn't bother looking at it but just installed the new one

so i guess i'm guilty of this

[davieG]

throw this thread away and get a new one

seriously though ; irons, kettles , toasters, hand drills etc; (even washing mashing machines and fridges) have indeed become so cheap that indeed they are not worth attempting repair.

i was in B and Q a few months ago and they were selling service washing machines at less than £120 ; so i bought one and put it in the garage still in its wrapper , the other day our old one packed up and i didn't bother looking at it but just installed the new one

so i guess i'm guilty of this

I don't think you're guilty of anything other than doing what's best for you and your family. It's up to politicians to create the right environment for sustainability and taxing everything that moves it's not a solution.

[Rincewind]

I was half watching a daytime programme and there was an old lady on showing of a wartime vacume cleaner. An hoover represensative said people cannot be bothered to have things mended so it is not worth it to manufacture goods that last. I think its a two way thing myself.

My brother works for a huge engineering company in Loughborough (Brush) He now works in the spare parts dept. He has to check records going back over 20 years. Sometimes there are no parts number because at the time the generator (they supply them) was specially made. So some oil rig in the North sea is without power until the part is found and remade. My brother says spare parts is big money so a special dept had to be created. 20-30 years ago records were not kept on computer so he is having to catalogue tt all from scratch. He's been with the firm for 30 years or so and was involved making a lot of the parts and knows all about the designing and plans. He's had to move from the shop floor because of his health. Sounds interesting work. But things move on. How many gamers buy a consule then as soon as the newer version comes out dump the one they bought a year previous? FM changes everry year so what is the point of the manufacturer putting all the new features on the latest version. If I was them I'd leave a few bits off and tell the mugs customers that I am still researching and hope to upgrade the game next year.

[stez]

it's like has already been said, things are so cheap (and i'm glad they are), i'm sure you remember the time, dave, when a washer would've cost £hundreds and 'been built to last' but manufacturers kind got the feeling that nobody was needing to buy a new one, thus profits down, so they lower the construction quality, make them in china and it's then easier for us just to buy a new one, with parts and labour costing so much. having said that, our freezer is ancient and still going along nicely.

the glasses one is bollux, (them not you!) a mate of mine (who is in his 70's) has had the same spex for years and just gets new lenses fitted.

[Daggers]

Our sodding team gets recycled season in season out...and yet the obvious solution is to simply replace them.

Green economics sucks.

[Geo V]

Some people have more money than sense. I have lost count of the amount of times Ive walked by a house that has a skip in front of it seemingly full of stuff that must have some use and value. Ive seen old PC`s, tables, chairs etc that dont look that bad just slung out and killed off without any thought that there may be some under-privileged souls who would find use for some of this stuff. I have always thought about opening some type of charity and linking it to youth clubs and hostels and getting other peoples unwanted goods serviced or generally tidied up and passed on but ashamedly I am yet to actually do it. I will though thats for sure!

[Rincewind]

that would be a great idea. I am sure there a loads of ex or rx retired or unemployed craftsmen who would be willing to check the items out. They could do it at home or for larger items on site.. I've seen matresses settes etc dumped in the street better condition than what I've already got with little notices on like take me yto a new home.

[Daggers]

All of our unwanted stuff was left outside the house with notes on when we moved in last year...and all of it went off to houses within minutes of being put out - most of them knocking to check it was OK.

...and in a similar vein: Computer Aid International recycle computing equipment to the third world (if you are planning on upgrading this Xmas)

[davieG]

All of our unwanted stuff was left outside the house with notes on when we moved in last year...and all of it went off to houses within minutes of being put out - most of them knocking to check it was OK.

...and in a similar vein: Computer Aid International recycle computing equipment to the third world (if you are planning on upgrading this Xmas)

I'm still trying to find HedgeTrimmer International Aid , perhaps I'll have to get those new specs!

[Daggers]

I'm still trying to find HedgeTrimmer International Aid , perhaps I'll have to get those new specs!

I have a great mental image of a crisis of over-grown hedges in Africa!

[Webbo]

it's like has already been said, things are so cheap (and i'm glad they are), i'm sure you remember the time, dave, when a washer would've cost £hundreds and 'been built to last' but manufacturers kind got the feeling that nobody was needing to buy a new one, thus profits down, so they lower the construction quality, make them in china and it's then easier for us just to buy a new one, with parts and labour costing so much. having said that, our freezer is ancient and still going along nicely.

the glasses one is bollux, (them not you!) a mate of mine (who is in his 70's) has had the same spex for years and just gets new lenses fitted.

It's not quite like that, things last much longer now,that's why nobody takes out the insurance anymore. In the 70s everybody rented their TVs because they used to break down every 3 months.

[Zingari]

davieg , heres a suggestion ;

all those old discarded user names can be sent to the needy in third world countries

[Daggers]

In the 70s everybody rented their TVs because they used to break down every 3 months.

I'd forgotten that. I used to spend ages looking at some of the great boxes they had in the rental shop - especially those funky new ones that had teletext!

We moved on to buying second hand. In fact, our first ever paid-for new TV was the Bravia I got last year.

[stez]

It's not quite like that, things last much longer now,that's why nobody takes out the insurance anymore. In the 70s everybody rented their TVs because they used to break down every 3 months.

my mums tumble drier (purchased in the 70's) is on it's third owner now. my mum also has to replace her washer every few years because the break. i was always of the assumption that renting was done (we had a telly and video off radio rentals) because they were to expensive to buy...well that was the case in our house.

also from a companies point of view, who's going to buy the fantastic new washer with thw brand new laser guided powder draw, if the one from years ago is still working quite nicely thank you?

actually, we had a top loading video off radio rentals, and that broke down and we had a fantastic, space age one off them while they fixed ours, awesome it was (for the 80's) super slow mo timer record, a remote control! and all sorts of pointless stuff, i was gutted when they brought our one back.

also i don't take out insurance because it's pointless and overly expensive.

[davieG]

my mums tumble drier (purchased in the 70's) is on it's third owner now. my mum also has to replace her washer every few years because the break. i was always of the assumption that renting was done (we had a telly and video off radio rentals) because they were to expensive to buy...well that was the case in our house.

also from a companies point of view, who's going to buy the fantastic new washer with thw brand new laser guided powder draw, if the one from years ago is still working quite nicely thank you?

actually, we had a top loading video off radio rentals, and that broke down and we had a fantastic, space age one off them while they fixed ours, awesome it was (for the 80's) super slow mo timer record, a remote control! and all sorts of pointless stuff, i was gutted when they brought our one back.

also i don't take out insurance because it's pointless and overly expensive.

I bought any item the other day for £35 the insurance was £27, they actually asked if I was interested

[Jay]

I bought any item the other day for £35 the insurance was £27, they actually asked if I was interested

it wasn't Argos was it they are the masters of that!!!

[Webbo]

my mums tumble drier (purchased in the 70's) is on it's third owner now. my mum also has to replace her washer every few years because the break. i was always of the assumption that renting was done (we had a telly and video off radio rentals) because they were to expensive to buy...well that was the case in our house.

Actually, now you mention it we had an ancient tumble dryer we inherited from the wife's grandma and it's only just gone kaput. And we've had about 3 washing machines since we got married.

Perhaps I was talking shite.

[Zingari]

Actually, now you mention it we had an ancient tumble dryer we inherited from the wife's grandma and it's only just gone kaput. And we've had about 3 washing machines since we got married.

Perhaps I was talking shite.

i'm on my 3rd washing machine too , bl**dy useless

[Lillehamring]

mind you, the second hand goods market is huge these days - just look on ebay.

there are a lot of people who are prepared to buy old second hand stuff simply because it is better quality amd cheaper than crappy new stuff that falls apart.

i recently bought a bathroom cabinet for a fair bit of cash from ikea, and its rubbish, yet i bought a whole 70s shelving unit for 20 quid and its rock solid (proper wood, you know).

and people go crazy for flea markets here - everything from beds to tvs to trombones, absolutley crazy.

so, i would suggest that lazy consumers with no standards and a conceit about owning used stuff are as big a contributors to the problem as the manufacturers.

(BTW - davieG, i got the buzz on the Garrard to stop, it's sweet now, tho the auto seems to have disengaged some where, i don't know - bloody mechanical devices!)

[Rincewind]

I still rent my TV. The idea was to upgrade every year or so but the shop in Leicester closed down and contact is only available via the internet. Keep meaning to end the rental agreement (£23 PM) and buy a TV for 300 to 500 quid from cash Generater on Belgrave Gate. I watch the TV less than I used to so if it lasts a year it'll be the same as a rental. I pay DD so have no direct contyact with the company.

[stez]

I still rent my TV. The idea was to upgrade every year or so but the shop in Leicester closed down and contact is only available via the internet. Keep meaning to end the rental agreement (£23 PM) and buy a TV for 300 to 500 quid from cash Generater on Belgrave Gate. I watch the TV less than I used to so if it lasts a year it'll be the same as a rental. I pay DD so have no direct contyact with the company.

bloody hell, 500 notes? save up and buy one from asda for 149 quid!