In the past few decades, humanity has seen the fastest and most expansive development in its technological capabilities. Cities roaring with skylines higher then mountains, people traveling from land masses thousands of miles in a matter of hours, and even tiny tablets weighing about a pound are able to contact someone half way across the globe. Times are changing, and the new age is undeniably upon us. The competitiveness in a free market has allowed companies to expand and reach for humanity’s untapped potential. But what happens when the competitors in a free market join hands and agree to implement self-destructive mechanisms in their products? Is the importance of driving capitalism truly more important than the wellbeing of the consumer? All these questions are relevant to consumers because planned obsolescence is a reality in our current economy. By analyzing the example of incandescent light bulbs as well as the ethics versus the benefits of planned obsolescence, it can be concluded that planned obsolescence is not beneficial for the consumer but necessary for the current development of society until we can find an alternative to this waste-based society. The light bulb was one of the most important inventions of the 19th century. Houses could be alive when the day got dark, no more was there the risk of having your house burnt down. Coal and candles were all replaced by this new phenomenon. Every room could have their own individual light bulb installed easily and cheaply, of course without the risk of burning down the house. The technology of light bulbs grew from lasting 100s of hours all the way up to 1000s of hours. But in 1930s, this growth in the longevity of light bulbs saw a halt. The Phoebus Cartel was created an... ... middle of paper ... ...le newer, a little better and little sooner than necessary. The current economy does not seem viable without planned obsolescence because everyone is on the train of throw away lifestyle. Once people stop buying goods, other people will lose their jobs in the production of goods, and the domino effect begins as it starts affecting the economy and society as a whole. Planned obsolescence is a nasty mechanism of the consumerism economy. The side effects are a cause of harm to the environment, due to higher pollution and waste, an increase in living costs, and increased resource spending. Since most countries around the world are living this life of wastefulness, it is impossible to sail back to port on this sinking ship. If society can figure out an alternative to the current consumerism lifestyle and fix the boat, our dependence on consumerism might seize to exist.
The expansion of technology changed the life of every American. American industry now distributed and produced an enormous amount of household items, clothing, and jewelry. These businesses enthusiastically produced these items for profit. Automobiles changed the ...
For new or retrofit construction, every choice can lead to energy savings; energy that is derived primarily from fossil fuels. The typical household LED replacement for a 60w light lasts about 50,000 hours. Pretending that an incandescent could also last that long, it would consume about 3,000 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of energy whereas the LE...
Besides technology and its impact on gift buying, the future will be recycle and reuse friendly. I am not just talking about the Go Green initiatives we see today. I am speaking of people using or leasing everyday items for daily use. For example, let’s look at the recent concept of Uber. Uber is a transportation company that can be utilized by an app on any smart phone. You can use your phone to arrange transportation to get you to your destination of choice. The concept is quickly catching on and beginning to replace the need for a cab or
Philips made a strong push to developing new technologies starting in the 1950s and 1960s. Upon doing so, the company also wanted to translate these technologies into products while adapting, producing, and selling these products within individual national markets. During this time period, most of the companies in the electrical products market were bring formed and racing to diversify. However, Philips decided to stick with what they knew best. They made only light-bulbs. In doing so, their strong focus enabled the company to create significant innovations. Continuing on, Philips also became a leader in industrial research by creating physics and chemistry labs to address both production and scientific problems. The labs developed a tungsten metal filament bulb that brought great commercial success. Philips simple structure and significant innovations gave them the financial support they needed to compete in a time period where competitors were seeking major growth.
The light bulb is the way we see in the dark, the way we find our way, the way we know when to go at a stoplight. How did Thomas Edison achieve this invention? Knowledge. Knowledge of electricity and the needs of those around him. In The Great Gatsby, Daisy Buchanan claims that she wants her daughter to be “a beautiful little fool.” In other words Daisy is saying that ignorance is bliss. Some others believe that knowledge is power. The advancement from candles to light bulbs changed the culture entirely. People could easily do the work they needed to after sunset, and it even led to more inventions. We need knowledge to advance, and for this reason powerful knowledge is more valid than blissful ignorance.
Pogue, David. "New Reasons To Change Light Bulbs." The New York Times 21 Mar. 2013, New York ed.: B1. Print.
The United States, as well as the world, is more and more dependent on electronics. Everything around us runs on electricity; from the cars we drive, our dependency on mobile electronics we use, all the way down to the cappuccino machines that make our favorite beverages. We love our electronics. Last year alone “retail sales of consumer electronics fell just short of $1 trillion in 2011,” reports John Laposky of TWICE magazine, and those sales “are predicted to hit $1.04 trillion in 201...
Williams, B. 1999. A History of Light and Lighting. [online] Available at: http://www.mts.net/~william5/history/hol.htm [Accessed: 5 Jan 2014].
In conclusion, everything that we have learned this quarter has shown the truth about the current state of consumerism. That it is a state that has been created by a lie, and has grown with lies, and it is a state of existance that stomps on the human race each day with a huge iron toe boot. And I believe that this state will be changed into a perfect state of being, a state that will not view humans as expendable resources, but as living and breathing people.
For example: technology and electronics are a huge part of our culture and society. The “fast paced” nature of technology creates products that become outdate very quickly. Electronics not containing lead or mercury are very much recyclable. However, instead of recycling, people just throw these items away, not thinking ...
Jeff Butcher and Rachel Hill pointed out the impacts of businesses on environments, by stating “The more of a product that is consumed or produced, the more of an externality that results” (Butcher, Jeff, & Hill, Rachel, 2006). Obviously, we can see that one product produced will bring benefit to consumer, sellers, and manufacturers. Meanwhile, one produced and consumed will cause negative externalities for environment. There is one fact we cannot deny that the more social life develops, the more externalities will be produced to the society. Daily living garbage, industrial wastes, carbon dioxide from factories are most outstanding examples to describe negative externalities to environment (Butcher, Jeff, & Hill, Rachel, 2006). In “The tragedy of the Commons”, Hardin showed us causes of negative externalities. He proved that people assume a...
Thesis Statement: Consumerism is destroying our planet through its excess, but with the help of reducing we may be able to slow the negative change happening in our environment.
Consumers have expectations In terms of a good quality product that should be availed at a reasonable price. Consumers don’t only want the business to be socially responsible towards them in this manner of reasonable prices but way beyond this. They should meet the needs of consumers in ways of convenience and appearance. But business should also consider other aspects like environmental impact when packaging is disposed.
Today the consumerism plays an extremely important role in contemporary societies; consumerism has carried a part of the planet to the edge of Ecological, social and economic abyss, and every day becomes more evident. But naturally, it goes against a process that has become common in the daily life of people, The consumers need to advise about nature of the products, the value and the consequences of the consumption of certain products in the environment. One of the most creative ways to solve this problem is to minimize consumption of newly manufactured products, either by buying items with a longer shelf life or buying used items, new resources are not used in the manufacturing and industrial pollution and carbon dioxide will be lower. We can Recycling and reusing, also make reasonable use of natural resources, energy, and water, this contribute to the mitigation of climate impacts, will require manufacturers to use more sustainable technologies.
The sustainability of ecosystems on which the global economy depends must be guaranteed. And the economic partners must be satisfied that the basis of exchange is equitable” (World). This quote demonstrates the complexities of sustainability. Another thing corporations should focus on when trying to be sustainable is their environmental impact. Annie Leonard in her book The Story of Stuff says that companies can significantly reduce their toll on the environment by changing their design. The design determines “the amount of energy used in making and using the product,” “the length of the product’s life span” and “its ability to be recycled” (Leonard). All these things determine the amount of resources a company must use, so simply changing a product’s design is one way a company can have a large impact on the sustainability of the environment in which it operates. One example of this is that “Wal-Mart attributed more that $100 million of its 2009 revenue to a decision to switch to a recyclable variety of cardboard in shipments” which it sells to a recycler instead of paying to send it to a landfill