Don't you hate it when something breaks just after the warranty runs out? Or what about that new electronic gadget that fails to work with your old accessories from the same manufacturer?
Some of these infuriating problems were caused on purpose, by product designers practicing planned obsolescence. Planned obsolescence occurs when something is intended to wear out or stop being useful after a predetermined period of time -- and that time is often as short as a few years.
Critics have long complained that planned obsolescence wastes consumers' money, uses up valuable resources, and chokes our landfills.
The good news is that consumers are not entirely at the mercy of corporations. Armed with some information and foresight you can extend the life of some products or avoid buying them entirely. Here are strategies for dealing with some of the most irritating sources of planned obsolescence.
Products link: http://green.yahoo.com/blog/daily_green_news/315/five-products-designed-to-fail-early.html
Some of these infuriating problems were caused on purpose, by product designers practicing planned obsolescence. Planned obsolescence occurs when something is intended to wear out or stop being useful after a predetermined period of time -- and that time is often as short as a few years.
Critics have long complained that planned obsolescence wastes consumers' money, uses up valuable resources, and chokes our landfills.
The good news is that consumers are not entirely at the mercy of corporations. Armed with some information and foresight you can extend the life of some products or avoid buying them entirely. Here are strategies for dealing with some of the most irritating sources of planned obsolescence.
Products link: http://green.yahoo.com/blog/daily_green_news/315/five-products-designed-to-fail-early.html
