Our Throw-Away Society

I've notice lately that my electric razor just isn't up to the task anymore; it doesn't do a very good job of smoothing my cheeks and neck the way it used to.  The instructions that came with the razor said that the heads should be replaced every 12 months, and I've had this one with the same heads for over two years.  So now I have a decision to make. should I buy replacement heads, or should I just go ahead and purchase a new razor.

I went online to Amazon and looked for both.  What I found was that I could buy a brand new razor for $30 to $50.  On the other hand, I could replace the heads on my current razor for $30 to $40.  Now, which do you suppose I would choose, especially since it does make for a nice annual suggestion to my daughter for Father's Day?

I don't have to use razors as my example.  How about printers?  Cartridge replacement or new printer?  In some cases, the replacement cartridges cost more than it does to replace the printer.  But then you have to dispose of a used printer.  Sell it? Donate it? Who else would want a used printer with no ink?

When was the last time - if ever - you heard of anyone mending torn clothing or socks with holes in them?  Do you even know the term, 'darning'? (Hint - it isn't a cuss word)

To some it might seem great that we've come to a stage in our technology where it is easier and cheaper to replace items with new ones rather than repair them. But think for a minute about all the junk and garbage we accumulate as a result of not using our possessions to their fullest extent.  And I'm not limiting this diatribe to small things like razors and printers and such ... our vehicles are traded in way too frequently, as well. Just travel around the country like I do and you'll see the huge junk yards, a lot with cars and vans that seem to be in pretty good condition.

One result of our throw-away mentality is that we tend to use our resources way too fast. A prime example of that is the clear-cutting of huge tracts of land.  The next time you go for a long ride on an interstate highway, notice that the forests that used to line those highways on both sides of the road are now reduced to a strip of about 20 feet, behind which is a field of tree stumps.  In some cases it will be a field with several piles of tree roots where the forest use to stand.  And it isn't a temporary condition.  I've seen some of those stumps and roots standing there for twenty or more years in my travels.

Responsible companies, like Weyerhauser and Georgia Pacific, actually treat timber as a renewable 'crop" and replant the trees they cut down.  However, many smaller industries do not practice good stewardship of the land.  Hence, those unsightly wastelands along our highways.

I have to confess that I am torn at times over my opposition to tree huggers, global warming enthusiasts, environmentalists, and those who value endangered species of useless wildlife over our ability to achieve energy independence.  There are times when I just cannot justify the actions of my fellow man.  I do at times side with the people on the left in cases like those I described above.

If there is any lesson to be learned, it is that we have to weigh all the factors before we decide where we stand on any of these issues.  For instance, I have no problems with the process called 'fracking" to extract petroleum and natural gas from the earth if it is done with modern technology and deep enough that it doesn't harm the environment.  And to date, every single study has debunked the urban legends propagated by Hollywood and the liberal media about contamination of aquifers and ground water.

On clear-cutting, I stand with the environmentalists, and one of the best examples of how that destroys the land is seen on the Discovery Channel series, "Gold Rush", which shows the strip mining in places like Alaska and, more recently, Guyana.  In my opinion, there is no more graphic example of our throw-away society than the huge areas of mud left behind where forests used to grow.  And for what?  A few ounces of gold is all they have to show for all that destruction.

I'll climb down from my soapbox now, but I hope you will take this opportunity to think about this topic and how we can, if not reverse it, at least alleviate it.