Throwaway society.

Recently my Nextbase dashcam started to shut down the instant I turned off the ignition. New internal battery required I thought, easy fix. Not so, there was no battery compartment. I emailed Nextbase, and to their credit I received a prompt reply complete with several pages of instructions on how to take the camera apart, which was very complicated and involved delicate soldering. They offered to supply the battery only for £10, or return the camera and they would replace the battery for £31. Because the unit is over 2 years old it seems I'm expected to buy a new one.
This got me looking at other items I've recently replaced, sat nav, phone, tablet, laptop etc, and unlike my old stuff, not one of them has a user accessible battery.
Al.

Oh how I agree !

While we were in Spain recently our 4 year old van microwave stopped microwaving. All other lights and features were working as normal. Daewoo reckoned it was either the magnetron or one of the two fuses that had gone. Since we had had several fuses blow that trip we assumed it was the fuse. Unfortunately no Daewoo agent we could find locally was able or willing to change that particular fuse or to supply a replacement. Eventually we bought a new microwave, had to do the necessary drilling etc to fit it in the slot as well as having to go through the relevant channels to find an Ecoparc who would take the "broken "one and then get it there. 

Looking on the bright side, we did get a smart calendar and 3 useful coloured jute recycling bags in exchange at the Crevillente Ecoparc.

bikeralw wrote:This got me looking at other items I've recently replaced, sat nav, phone, tablet, laptop etc, and unlike my old stuff, not one of them has a user accessible battery.

and when you do find one with an accessible battery, a replacement one is no longer available.

dbroada wrote:

bikeralw wrote:This got me looking at other items I've recently replaced, sat nav, phone, tablet, laptop etc, and unlike my old stuff, not one of them has a user accessible battery.

and when you do find one with an accessible battery, a replacement one is no longer available.

Best one Home computer Printers 
Bought a new one last month in Canon Sale as it was cheaper to buy it with a second free set of inks than buy the inks for my old one

Same with TVs now. I can buy a new 32" TV from Tesco for £180.

Or, I can pay a local TV repair guy £80 call out fee and a £40 diagnosis fee, only to then be told either the parts aren't available or it's simply beyond economicial repair.

Ever tried putting ten sheets of paper through a ten page shredder? All the ones I have had just get hot and start making 'orrible noises. Stripped the last one down to fix it, no it is all sealed in so you can't. Down the tip it goes and buy another one then!

Its not just electrical gadgets though. As a society we bin tonnes of perfectly edible food, some of it grown the other side of the world and then transported here at great cost in energy and effort. We even throw away once worn clothes rather than washing them !

( Not me guv; I really do not).

Quilter wrote:Its not just electrical gadgets though. As a society we bin tonnes of perfectly edible food, some of it grown the other side of the world and then transported here at great cost in energy and effort. We even throw away once worn clothes rather than washing them !

( Not me guv; I really do not).

Who on earth does that Quilter? never heard of that one, then I must have had a sheltered life.

daisy mae wrote:

Quilter wrote:Its not just electrical gadgets though. As a society we bin tonnes of perfectly edible food, some of it grown the other side of the world and then transported here at great cost in energy and effort. We even throw away once worn clothes rather than washing them !

( Not me guv; I really do not).

Who on earth does that Quilter? never heard of that one, then I must have had a sheltered life.

Its called “ fast fashion”. Rather than having 2 or 3 seasons of clothing per year, as once was common, shops like Primark, H&M and the like can now use cheap fabrics and cheap labour to get designer copies of clothing into the shops up to 52 or more times per year. This leads to people buying more than they can reasonably wear just to keep up with the trends. Rather than wear, wash and mend, as my generation do, they wear and bin. Read about it and the harm it does.

Put in: ( sorry, can’t Tinyurl it on my phone):

https://www.google.co.uk/search?safe=active&rlz=1C9BKJA_enGB752GB752&hl=en-GB&q=clothing+waste+statistics+uk&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjSoOzpq-vZAhXhAsAKHf3dBRsQ1QIoBHoECAkQBQ&biw=768&bih=1004

Heanorboy wrote:Bought a new one last month in Canon Sale as it was cheaper to buy it with a second free set of inks than buy the inks for my old one

Yes! the cost of printer consumables is ridiculous. I've been using 'compatible' carts for years, usually from the same supplier on Ebay. Used to refill colour toner carts from URefill.co.uk when I was in charge of the club's laser printer.

Frank

boxerman wrote:

Heanorboy wrote:Bought a new one last month in Canon Sale as it was cheaper to buy it with a second free set of inks than buy the inks for my old one

Yes! the cost of printer consumables is ridiculous. I've been using 'compatible' carts for years, usually from the same supplier on Ebay. Used to refill colour toner carts from URefill.co.uk  when I was in charge of the club's laser printer.

Frank

It was only because I got a free set that I didn't buy compatibles plus the fact the new one was wireless so could print from the laptop.
My old HP is still connected to my many times updated Desktop and I think still gives better results on Photos even though is it at least 25 years old

Askit wrote:. I wear cotton tee shirts in summer and have yet to find any that will not shrink or keep their shape after washing

I stopped buying cotton tee shirts long ago. Apart from a few 'tourist' tee shirts, mine are all the technical fibre wicking type used by walkers and sportspersons. My favourites were North Cape Coolmax ones but they went bust a while ago - perhaps because their tee shirts lasted too long? Had mine for several years and they don't shrink or go out of shape. They don't go like a shapeless wet rag when you sweat either.
Other makes are available, look at base layers in outdoor shops.
Much, much more expensive that what you are paying now but cheaper in the long run and nicer to wear in hot [or cold] weather.

Frank