The Throw-away culture: It’s not just about saving money when you repair!
Not long ago, there was a dynamic repair industry and a strong mentality of “make do” and mend.
What has changed in the last decade?
In the 1920 and 1930’s mass production was becoming very popular, it encouraged consumers to buy more and companies to invest less in producing quality goods. Consumerism was born. This is not a sustainable method and has greatly contributed to global wastage and an increase of our carbon footprint.
South Africa is the 12th-largest greenhouse gas emitter in the world and the worst sulphur dioxide polluter on the planet – surpassing the combined emissions of the US and China.
The Throw-away culture:
The modern mindset of keeping up with trends for example like fashion or latest electronics, only using them for months and then troughing away. Importing our new gadgets and latest fashion clothing across the sea uses a large amount of fossil fuels.
Just South Africa’s Fossil CO2 emissions were 390,557,850 tons in 2016.
Our convenience:
Our desire for convenience whether buying plastic water bottles or those take away utensils is another waste contributor. Going to your local grocery store you can notice all the over packing of products… all for our “convenience”.
SA generates 2.4 million tons of plastic waste every year, equivalent to 41kg of plastic waste per citizen. Only 14% of the 2.4 million tons of plastic thrown into bins is recycled.
Let’s find a better way:
There is a better way, before throwing an item away and purchasing something new, find out if what you already have can be fixed or repurposed. Today’s society is putting strain on our planet and not just our wallets.
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