For the future I am envisioning, there will be large scale legislations around the globe to prevent or discourage planned obsolescence for many consumer products. This includes examples presented in the class today — washing machines — but also other electronics such as televisions and fridges, as well as cars and non-electronic things. In this future, activists work to promote the trend of long lasting products / Efficiency over a long period of time in the society, and regularly checks newer designs and innovations as to whether they are sustainable over the long term rather than purely being “technically” more green, but increasing the total number of production. I believe a way to achieve this is through activism, such as #Unleashvalues and other platforms to raise awareness of these goals, and when the movement becomes large enough, can compel industries to adjust their strategies and produce more durable products for the consumers.
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I agree, technology should be considered in this issue to a great extent.
I really like this idea! I feel like 50 years ago companies took pride in their products lasting a long time and now the ideas have changed and they just want more sales. Realistically, if I needed something like a new washing machine I would pick the one that has been proven to last the longest than the one with the latest tech. I think most people would say the same but there is either not enough products with a good lifespan or they're wayy too expensive so we just get trapped in the cycle of buying a new one every 5 years.
Completely agree. Planned obsolescence as a method to increase consumerism is predatory and directly harmful to consumers and the environment. Products which can last for decades are intentionally tampered with to break early and easily, with little to no options for repair, forcing otherwise useful products to become garbage which pollutes the planet.