Comments on: Sustain Me http://carthik.net/blog/vault/2006/01/29/sustain-me/ Life, Research and Everything Else. Wed, 08 Jul 2009 16:30:11 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1 By: James E. Robinson, III http://carthik.net/blog/vault/2006/01/29/sustain-me/comment-page-1/#comment-9669 James E. Robinson, III Mon, 30 Jan 2006 12:30:12 +0000 http://carthik.net/blog/vault/2006/01/29/sustain-me/#comment-9669 Do they consider post-consumable waste and consumer habits as a result of the market? Companies can do their best on the front side to conserve/reuse/be green, etc on the manufacturing side, but when products are priced to be cheaper than replacing a single part, what have we gained? The classic example is the printer industry. Last time i needed to buy ink, i tossed my old printer and bought a new one. At the current prices, when i run out of ink again, i'll do the same. (Actually, i'll buy a laser if my wife can get by without color to try and stop the insanity.) But this shows up in so many other market segments now. Lawnmower break? It'll be a min. of $100 for parts and labor. New one = $120. Bulb out in your strand of Christmas tree lights? A replacement bulb pack is $2...so is a whole new strand of 150 lights. The price of those items does not include the disposal cost. I'm not a fan of dumping lots of stuff, but i have to be responsible with my money as well... Do they consider post-consumable waste and consumer habits as a result of the market?

Companies can do their best on the front side to conserve/reuse/be green, etc on the manufacturing side, but when products are priced to be cheaper than replacing a single part, what have we gained?

The classic example is the printer industry. Last time i needed to buy ink, i tossed my old printer and bought a new one. At the current prices, when i run out of ink again, i’ll do the same. (Actually, i’ll buy a laser if my wife can get by without color to try and stop the insanity.)

But this shows up in so many other market segments now. Lawnmower break? It’ll be a min. of $100 for parts and labor. New one = $120. Bulb out in your strand of Christmas tree lights? A replacement bulb pack is $2…so is a whole new strand of 150 lights.

The price of those items does not include the disposal cost.

I’m not a fan of dumping lots of stuff, but i have to be responsible with my money as well…

]]> By: Joel Makower http://carthik.net/blog/vault/2006/01/29/sustain-me/comment-page-1/#comment-9668 Joel Makower Mon, 30 Jan 2006 05:52:13 +0000 http://carthik.net/blog/vault/2006/01/29/sustain-me/#comment-9668 Thanks, Carthik, for the plug! Thanks, Carthik, for the plug!

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