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.
