A Newbie DIYers Ramblings - Comments Welcome
It occurred to me, as I drove back to the office, that the "throw away society" ethos could be partly remedied by imposing:
a) Mandatory parts availability. and b) Limitation on parts price mark up.
This way manufacturers would, in a small way, be forced to consider the longevity/support of their product.
I don't know if it's an age thing, but the older I get (41 at present), the more annoyed I get at the disposable nature of products.
Our mower has recently been giving bother due to failure of a plastic part which could make a profit at £5. This is difficult to source and comes in at over £20. So, do I spend a third of the cost of the mower on this part? No I buy a new mower on the basis that, if one part has failed, another will follow shortly and I'm on a hiding to nothing!
Had the part been realistically priced, I would have happily taken the make do and mend route, saving money and doing my small part in reducing land fill.
Frankly I find the lack of reponsibility from manufacturers and the lack of guidance/enforcement from the government a cause for concern. I have children. Should I encourage them to be meek? When they reach the end of their time I doubt the earth will be worth inheriting at this rate!!