What is the Issue?
“Our “throw away” lifestyle is unsustainable and deeply irresponsible, and it is vital that we change it soon.”
- Chan, 2014
Planned and perceived obsolescence has been around since as early as the 1960s, and has been creating unnecessary waste ever since. Planned obsolescence is a strategy where products are designed by companies to not last as long, meaning that they need to be replaced more often, earning higher profits for companies. Perceived Obsolescence is where a customer is convinced they need updated product, even though their existing product is fine, and it is often based on style. These techniques raise significant environmental concerns, as is explained in the following;
“When millions of people upgrade a perfectly functioning phone, millions of slightly older devices often end up in our landfills. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, Americans discard more than 2 million tons of obsolete electronic products annually. This can be especially troubling since many of the materials used to create these devices can contain hazardous chemicals.”
- Din, 2012
More examples of environmental problems caused by planned and perceived obsolescence include:
- An increasing rate of natural resource depletion, pollution, and waste production
- The fact that new resources are needed to make new models, and old product materials are rarely reused or recycled, therefore taking more from the environment than they are putting back
- Wasted materials polluting ecosystems and clogging up landfills
- Some materials are being sent to under-developed countries for recycling, where they extract what can be used, and the remainder stays in the country, where it is dumped or burned, which adds to the country's waste
- Waste generation, greater electricity and water consumption, and the wrong mentality
“Longevity isn't always profitable, and therefore quality has taken a back seat to quantity at the expense of the environment.”
- Crane, 2011
This means that, despite the horrible effect on our environment, planned and perceived obsolescence lives on because it makes companies more money.
Where is the issue occurring?
Where is the issue occurring?