17 replies to this topic

[Shortpoet-GTD]

I'm posting this in recycling and waste section because I can almost guarantee you that
few previous models will be recycled and most will end up as waste.

When you see the news reports on the "feeding frenzy" about the latest do-dad
from apple, it really makes me cringe.

Our message of sustainability is not getting through to these young people.
Is it all peer pressure?
She's got one, I've got to get it. He just bought it, I've gotta have it.

2,300 a minute.
JP Morgan Chase says that sales of this one device will contribute 1/3 of a percent to
the total GDP of the US.
Hello?
Back in 07 when the first one was released 1 million were sold in 3 months.
This latest version?  10 million sold in 10 days.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3032619/

http://abcnews.go.co...-world-17295546

We're losing the argument on too many fronts, and this one-
massive consumerism is one of the worst.
And when they're all discarded in several months time for the next new great gadget?
Lots of toxins leaking into our soil and water.

Sigh.

[FamilyTreeClimber]

I guess whether it ends up as waste depends on where you life.  In California, you cannot throw electronic items into the garbage anymore.  You must use either drop it off somewhere that will recycle these items or use one of the free neighborhood pick ups.  But, I imagine in states that do not have this law there will be a tremendous amount of waste.

There was a big contrast today.  While people camped out 5 days to get a new phone that they don't need, other people were waiting outdoors all around California to catch a glimpse of the space shuttle Endeavour on its last fly by before it is made into a museum.  We were of the latter group.  We waiting almost an hour in our yard and were treated to a low flyover right over our house.  I bet many of those folks waiting in their sleeping bag didn't even get to see the space shuttle.

I think about stuff like this.  30 years from now will these folks be talking fondly of the day they got their iPhone? I know I will remember when I got to see the space shuttle.  It makes me wonder how odd our priorities are.  We will stand in line longer to get a cell phone than we will to guarantee our right to vote.

[dconklin]

I saw this on the news earlier and one of my first thoughts (besides these people being crazy) was that I hope Apple improved their overseas supplier's working conditions with this number of phones being sold.  

I think for some people it is a status symbol to constantly upgrade to the newest device.  I wouldn't wait in line 5 days for anything that I don't absolutely need for survival!

[FamilyTreeClimber]

dconklin, that is the real crime.  Apple has a boatload of money.  In fact, last year they had a $75 billion reserve.  It is pathetic that they use cheap labor as a "cost cutting" factor when they have no need to cut costs.  They could do a whole lot better where worker rights are concerned.

I agree that it is a status symbol and it makes people feel cool.  I wonder how many actually figure out the new features or even use half of what the phone has to offer.  They probably haven't figured out the last phone they bought.

[Hardison]

FamilyTreeClimber, on 21 September 2012 - 05:24 PM, said:

There was a big contrast today.  While people camped out 5 days to get a new phone that they don't need, other people were waiting outdoors all around California to catch a glimpse of the space shuttle Endeavour on its last fly by before it is made into a museum.  We were of the latter group.  We waiting almost an hour in our yard and were treated to a low flyover right over our house.  I bet many of those folks waiting in their sleeping bag didn't even get to see the space shuttle.

At least 400 trees were cut down to make room for the space shuttle in Los Angeles, but that's for another thread. NASA has promised to plant 800 trees to make up for it though.

Yeah, the frenzy over the iPhone is just crazy. My nephews are trying to figure out how to get one. There's no changing their minds about it.

[Evilsprinkles]

I've never really understood the need to camp out for five days to get ANYTHING, never mind the latest piece of technology.  Have we really become so materialisitc that we have reduced ourselves to rabidly foaming at the mouth whenever something new and shiny arrives?  I don't even do that sort of thing at Christmas, (I don't even LIKE Christmas anyway), so I sure as hell wouldn't do it for an iPhone.

I say this as someone who owns an iPhone, but it's a 3Gs, it works just as well as anything else, and it's something I use for work, home and social stuff. Every single mobile phone I've ever owned, I've passed on to a friend or family member if I upgraded for whatever reason, I've never thrown one away, and if anyone turned their nose up at them, I've donated them to charity shops.

I think this relates to one of the reasons I loathe Christmas so much. I call it Commercemas. People go out and buy presents for people they don't even LIKE, and spend stupid amounts of money doing it, putting themselves into huge debt, and all for what? A fairy story where they nail some dude to a cross and he died. Splendid, what a waste of money and resources. I'd sooner use the money for something more constructive.

[Shortpoet-GTD]

Evilsprinkles, on 22 September 2012 - 01:46 AM, said:

A fairy story where they nail some dude to a cross and he died.

Crudely put.

[aspen]

This the apple i phone with the sat nav problem. Apparently because they aren't using the google sat nav they had to reinvent the wheel and so had problems. We live in a consumer world which includes hybrid cars. I am a little bit sceptical about it all.

[Evilsprinkles]

Shortpoet-GTD, on 22 September 2012 - 03:12 AM, said:

Crudely put.

Perhaps, but not against the rules--and I think it's quite obvious how I feel about the yearly waste surrounding Christmas. How much more wasteful do you think people are around that time of year?  The expense of things, on food ALONE, the processing of that food and how much of it is thrown away? Sure, you've got some wonderfully frugal people out there who will reuse packaging and items, regift maybe, and a lot of other environmentally friendly things along the way, but for the most part? It's a hugely wasteful time of year, and I really, really hate it.

[Hardison]

Evilsprinkles, on 22 September 2012 - 01:46 AM, said:

A fairy story where they nail some dude to a cross and he died.

That's Easter.

Evilsprinkles, on 22 September 2012 - 05:01 AM, said:

Perhaps, but not against the rules--and I think it's quite obvious how I feel about the yearly waste surrounding Christmas. How much more wasteful do you think people are around that time of year?  The expense of things, on food ALONE, the processing of that food and how much of it is thrown away? Sure, you've got some wonderfully frugal people out there who will reuse packaging and items, regift maybe, and a lot of other environmentally friendly things along the way, but for the most part? It's a hugely wasteful time of year, and I really, really hate it.

No, it's not against the rules. Everyone has a right to his/her opinion. There is way to state your opinion that's not disrespectful. Decorum seems to be a lost art.

[DeeNeely]

One of the most fascinating pictures I have seen over the last several days compares camping for the iPhone with the OWS protests.



I think this pretty much says it all. Consumerism wins and it even contaminated the OWS protests. I wonder how many of the protesters were at both camping events.

[fancyfingers]

I can't believe how so many people feel they need to have the latest gadgets instead of looking truly at what they need the item for and match it to what is out there. I can't see spending money on something just because a new one came out. (Especially when the current one I have works fine). I know many people see the iPhones as a status symbol, and their main goal is to have one, no matter what.

[Evilsprinkles]

Hardison, on 22 September 2012 - 08:25 AM, said:

That's Easter.

That's semantics, the whole thing is a fairy story. Perhaps instead of being singled out for that, We could move on to discussing the part where I point out that Christmas is one of the most wasteful times of year? It's not just about creating waste because everyone wants a new gadget, it's more that once a year, every year, people seem to lose ALL common sense, spend inordinate amounts of money on things for people they might not even like, and receive the same in return, amass things that may never leave the packaging, buy a tree (an actual one if said tree is unlucky), spend the next few weeks in a drunken stupor, stuffing their faces with amounts of food that could feed a family somewhere less fortunate, etc etc ad nauseum, ad infinitum..

[Shortpoet-GTD]

This has gone completely off topic.

Not many of us like the consumerism of Christmas but have respect for other people feelings about religion.

Back to I-phone.

[Shortpoet-GTD]

I-phone frenzy and foxconn misery.
Factory shut down.

Article

Funny how we never think of the makers of the products we consume.
http://www.altenergy...ut-how-healthy/

[E3 wise]

Hey guys how about we start an I phone recycle. Send them to us and we will recycle them via E Bay or something at $350 - $450 a phone which is the current going rate we could fund a whole recycle campaign.  people could consider it a donation to Alt Energy Shift.

[Evilsprinkles]

E3 wise, on 24 September 2012 - 01:51 PM, said:

Hey guys how about we start an I phone recycle. Send them to us and we will recycle them via E Bay or something at $350 - $450 a phone which is the current going rate we could fund a whole recycle campaign.  people could consider it a donation to Alt Energy Shift.

It's a great idea, but something tells me there aren't going to be a lot of people going for it ;)

Shame though, with the price of one, you could use the money for so many awesome things.

[ACSAPA]

I once read about a charity where you could send in your used phones and they would be activated and given to domestic violence victims so they could call for help or receive calls for job interviews or food stamps or whatever.

I think if you're going to get rid of your old technology, you could at least give it to one of these charities that uses old phones to help people and then your technological waste will be someone else's lifesaver.