PLANNED
OBSOLESCENCE
Imagine you have a smartphone that you really like and
use every day. But after a while, it stops working or you
notice that a new and improved version of the smartphone
has come out. The company that made your smartphone
did this on purpose so that you would want to buy the new
one. They did this by making your smartphone only last for
a certain amount of time, even though it could have lasted
longer.
This is called planned obsolescence. Companies do this on
purpose to encourage people to keep buying their
products so they can earn more money. This is really not
fair because it makes people waste their old smartphones
and buy new ones all the time, even if they don't need to.
TYPES OF OBSOLESCENCE
Obsolescence is a term used to describe when
a product is no longer useful or in demand.
There are several types of obsolescence,
including:
Planned Obsolescence: This is when a product is
designed to only work for a limited amount of time or
operations.
Indirect Obsolescence: This occurs when the parts
needed to repair a product are unavailable or it's not
practical to fx it.
Incompatibility Obsolescence: This happens when
technology advances and older products can't run new
software updates efciently.
Style Obsolescence: This is related to marketing
campaigns that make people want to replace products
that are still functional but not the latest style.
While product obsolescence can lead to economic
growth and new technological advances, it also has some
negative efects. Quick obsolescence can encourage
people to buy too much stuf and increase consumer
debt, especially among those who don't have much
money. It can also make people lose trust in the market
and harm the environment because we use too many
resources and create too much waste.
E-WASTE. HOW OFTEN DO YOU
BUY A NEW PHONE? (NEWS)
“Do you get a new phone when your old one breaks, is
beyond repair or just because you want to update to a
more modern one?
What do you do with your old phone, laptop or other
electronics when they no longer serve you purpose? Do
they stay tucked in a drawer somewhere in the house,
do you sell it, throw it away or recycle it?
Did you know that electronics contains valuable
materials like gold, copper, silver and palladium? As well
a lot of metals and materials that are harmful for people,
animals and the environment? When electronic
products come to the end of their life, they become
waste. Electronic waste.
In 2016, around 45 millions tons of electronics were
thrown away.
But what happens to the product once it’s discarded of,
or preferably recycled?
E-Waste is a term used to cover items of all types of
electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) and its parts
that have been discarded by the owner as waste
without the intention of re-use.”
PLANNED OBSOLESCENCE:
WHY THINGS DON'T LAST
In the fght against planned obsolescence, the
European
Parliament
wants
to
set
minimum
resistance criteria for products and better inform
consumers about their durability. The aim is to
encourage repair and reduce waste.
THE YEAR RIGHT TO REPAIR
BECAME ESSENTIAL
Repairable products and waste prevention is not only a
matter of European policies. Across Europe, there's a lot
going on both at national and local level!
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