Disposable Society

jcjacob · 07-05-2010, 12:01 PM

In another thread it was said:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sidebyte

Something is out of perspective with current battery systems because some devices from China especially cost less for the entire apparatus than the price of a battery. For instance my electric razor battery is always charged, is now 2 years old and cost less for the razor including the battery for less than a battery alone costs here.

I recently bought new blades for my electric razor and was astounded to find they were 70% of the cost of a new model.

And it's not just razors - so many of the devices we use and take for granted cost almost as much or the same to buy new than maintain or get replacement parts for, so we end up tossing perfectly good merchandise.

What items have you experienced this with? Do you tend to repair or replace? (we're not being judgemental, just curious).

Any other thoughts on our throw-away mentality and consumerism?

Ken-L · 07-05-2010, 01:43 PM

Cordless Phones. I have just replaced my cordless phone system for less than the cost of new batteries.

I've never had to replace the battery in my shaver (Norelco) because there has always been a newer gee-whiz model to buy before the old one died.

I think that our "throw-away mentality" has been fostered on us by the change in how many things are made. When we had "tube type" devices like amplifiers, radios, etc., we would take it in for repair when it wasn't working properly (or at all), and a repair-person (see how modern I am I said "person") would check it out and replace a tube or two and off we would go.

Today we have circuit boards and mother boards, etc., that for the most part can't be repaired. So, now when something that costs $100 stops working and the repair would be $120 to fix (Parts are $30, Labor is $60, Cost to send to repair is $15, Return Mailing Fee is $15), we just throw it away.

JDtech · 07-05-2010, 05:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jcjacob

Any other thoughts on our throw-away mentality and consumerism?

Stuff like razor blades I find good deals on at eBay. Generally I try to keep possessions to an absolute minimum, throw away or sell stuff that I haven't used within a year, and think three or four times before buying new stuff, for all new things have a backend maintenance cost that often makes them drags on one's flexibility.

Sidebyte · 07-05-2010, 08:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JDtech

Stuff like razor blades I find good deals on at eBay. Generally I try to keep possessions to an absolute minimum, throw away or sell stuff that I haven't used within a year, and think three or four times before buying new stuff, for all new things have a backend maintenance cost that often makes them drags on one's flexibility.

I'm just the opposite, I never sell or throw away anything usually. I still have 7 -35mm cameras because I don't want to sell them or even give them away. The only camera I have sold in recent years was my Kodak 14/n because it brought in enough money to almost pay for another updated Nikon. Actually I am pretty good at repairing things and have saved many an item from the dumpster, although I was looking in a box in my shop last week and there were the remains of 3 Olympus P&S cameras.......now that is a treasure begging to be dumped.

Jon Foster · 07-05-2010, 09:51 PM

Notebooks/laptops are the things we see as the largest waste items with computers. A damaged motherboard of display cost too much to fix. If I can repair a motherboard on a laptop, great. But it's a 50/50 chance at best. Netbooks are pretty much a lost cause. The motherboards and components they use are so small there's basically nothing that can be repaired by hand.

Jon.

jcjacob · 07-05-2010, 10:42 PM

I think we have 2 motivating forces at work. In no particular order of importance, we have

Consumerism. Advertising and media tell us we need the latest and greatest of everything. Sure you have an almost new 50" flat panel HDTV...great! Is it 3D capable? No? Better get with the program and upgrade!

Economics. I don't want to fill up our local landfill, but I have a problem spending $100 to fix something that I could replace for $80. The sum of the parts far exceeds the value of the whole.

What I try to do, whenever possible is sell my used goods at a reasonable price when I personally want to upgrade. If an item no longer works, it it may have any value for parts, I will make every effort to give to to someone that could use it or the components before I resort to tossing it in the dumpster or taking it to recycling.

STBear · 07-12-2010, 11:17 PM

For awhile it used to be it was cheaper to buy a new printer when it ran out of ink rather than buy ink. Strickly an economic decision. Might still be the case. I don't do much printing.

Jon Foster · 07-13-2010, 10:25 AM

From what we see that's still true for most retail ink jet printers. Laser printers are totally different. Hands down laser printers are the best bet in every way for the money. My only gripes are with the refilled toners. They ALL leak. We don't sell any refill or refurbished toners. We sell new OEM or new after market toners with long duration warranties. Our after market toners are all made in the US too.

Jon.

Bodryn · 07-17-2010, 10:40 PM

Several years ago, my wife wanted to buy a labeler. We went to Staples, and found a nice one fairly cheap. We wanted extra label tapes, however, and we found that the tapes were more expensive than the labelers! So we bought 3 labelers, just because we wanted 3 tapes!

07-05-2010, 01:43 PM	#2
Ken-L Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: San Francisco Bay Area Posts: 150	Cordless Phones. I have just replaced my cordless phone system for less than the cost of new batteries. I've never had to replace the battery in my shaver (Norelco) because there has always been a newer gee-whiz model to buy before the old one died. I think that our "throw-away mentality" has been fostered on us by the change in how many things are made. When we had "tube type" devices like amplifiers, radios, etc., we would take it in for repair when it wasn't working properly (or at all), and a repair-person (see how modern I am I said "person") would check it out and replace a tube or two and off we would go. Today we have circuit boards and mother boards, etc., that for the most part can't be repaired. So, now when something that costs $100 stops working and the repair would be $120 to fix (Parts are $30, Labor is $60, Cost to send to repair is $15, Return Mailing Fee is $15), we just throw it away. __________________ "An intellectual says a simple thing in a hard way. An artist says a hard thing in a simple way." - Bukowski

07-05-2010, 10:42 PM	#6
jcjacob Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Doylestown, PA Posts: 159	I think we have 2 motivating forces at work. In no particular order of importance, we have Consumerism. Advertising and media tell us we need the latest and greatest of everything. Sure you have an almost new 50" flat panel HDTV...great! Is it 3D capable? No? Better get with the program and upgrade! Economics. I don't want to fill up our local landfill, but I have a problem spending $100 to fix something that I could replace for $80. The sum of the parts far exceeds the value of the whole. What I try to do, whenever possible is sell my used goods at a reasonable price when I personally want to upgrade. If an item no longer works, it it may have any value for parts, I will make every effort to give to to someone that could use it or the components before I resort to tossing it in the dumpster or taking it to recycling. __________________ -John

07-13-2010, 10:25 AM	#8
Jon Foster Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: White Lake, MI Posts: 149	From what we see that's still true for most retail ink jet printers. Laser printers are totally different. Hands down laser printers are the best bet in every way for the money. My only gripes are with the refilled toners. They ALL leak. We don't sell any refill or refurbished toners. We sell new OEM or new after market toners with long duration warranties. Our after market toners are all made in the US too. Jon. __________________ Come visit us on the web at AITec Services

07-17-2010, 10:40 PM	#9
Bodryn Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Minnesota; Manitoba Posts: 90	Several years ago, my wife wanted to buy a labeler. We went to Staples, and found a nice one fairly cheap. We wanted extra label tapes, however, and we found that the tapes were more expensive than the labelers! So we bought 3 labelers, just because we wanted 3 tapes! __________________ Bodryn ======== "Where are we going? And why are we in this handbasket?"

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07-05-2010, 09:51 PM	#5
Jon Foster Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: White Lake, MI Posts: 149	Notebooks/laptops are the things we see as the largest waste items with computers. A damaged motherboard of display cost too much to fix. If I can repair a motherboard on a laptop, great. But it's a 50/50 chance at best. Netbooks are pretty much a lost cause. The motherboards and components they use are so small there's basically nothing that can be repaired by hand. Jon.

07-12-2010, 11:17 PM	#7
STBear Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Posts: 26	For awhile it used to be it was cheaper to buy a new printer when it ran out of ink rather than buy ink. Strickly an economic decision. Might still be the case. I don't do much printing.