Ethical buying

[June]

I watched a documentary recently called The Light Bulb Conspiracy which explored planned obsolescence as a means to keep up demand for new products. So many products designed to fail, even printer cartridges programmed to only print a certain number of pages before saying they're empty. But there are organisations like http://therestartproject.org/ that are trying to empower people to repair and reuse their electronics. They even have a link to free software that will reprogram the obsolescence chip in your printer to stop lying about ink levels! 

This video briefly highlights the inspiration behind the project: http://therestartproject.org/consumption/we-are-the-circular-economy/

Sadly that is true. Most of the electronics have up to 1 year warranty and cars up to 5 (or X km). And they aren't cheap. Lots people don't notice how, in fact, their expensive phones break easily because they replace them with a new model very soon. I remember hearing a story that some carriers stopped offering Nokia 3200 (or some similar model) because it lasted longer than the contract (2 years) and people didn't want to buy a new phone. I've never heard about the ink. I'm not really surprised, though...

The video is really interesting. I've never looked at rooting and custom ROMs on androids as recycling per se. I knew how restricted those phones really are and I would root my smartphone if I had one, but I have never made this connection before Sadly, a lot of people don't think it's worth the effort, or just want an excuse to buy something new.

About the computers... My current PC is second-hand custom built, but I'll probably build my next one myself. I avoid laptops because I don't really need one and they are more expensive and, basically, not upgradeable. If my 3 PCs I had trough these 12 years were laptops, I would need at least 5 or 6 of them if I counted easy repairs done by replacing components, which wouldn't be possible on a laptop.

[kaoskat]

I sponsor with an organization called Children International and I love the organization nearly as much as the kids I sponsor.

I've just had a brief look at the Children International website. It seems like there are a few other similar organisations too. I've though before that I'd like to support an organisation that sponsors girls, because educating girls in particular I believe is key to eliminating inequality and ending the cycle of poverty.

That's another thing I adore about CI! They enroll more girls than boys in the program because they too feel we need to focus getting girls the education and help they need to thrive in areas of the wold where these things are often neglected for them. Actually their quarterly magazine was all focused on girls this time and all the different things they are doing to help with their challenges. You may want to check it out. https://www.children.org/Articles/Article/11481 At any rate, if you do ever decide to sponsor kids, I'm sure you can find a program that fits your desires perfectly. There are ALOT out there. Just be sure to look into them a bit first of course.

[StoryDreamer]

All of my electronics I at least sell after I'm done with them; I never buy the "newest" iPhone until like 2 years later as a free upgrade. I then sell them on ebay.

You can also donate electronics to stores like Staples, etc. Or even a local charity. While it doesn't change the fact the electronics were made under deplorable conditions (which may be hard to verify with some companies), it at least is being disposed of properly and in a way that may benefit someone.

[Prideth]

I'm with a few others on this topic.  "Ethical" depends on your values, and it's impossible to tell on everything you buy.  But I do buy local produce and cheese from the farmer's market in town.  I eat at local restaurants.  My wedding/engagement ring was bought from a jewelry store that goes to great lengths to ensure the diamonds are conflict free. 

On that note, I can't buy everything local or check in to everything I buy or it would consume all of my time.  If I have a choice, I'll buy what feels better to me.

I am okay with knockoffs or handmade items.  I know that people who make (for example) pony plushies put a lot of time, love, and effort in to making the patterns and putting them together.  And I think it's very reasonable to be paid for that level of effort.  They can't possibly mass produce those items to the scale that Hasbro would, so their earnings are extremely small as compared to a corporation.

[Wardah]

Working in warehouses in the US isn't all that great for work conditions either, so made in the US doesn't mean much to me. I've slaved away with long hours, overheated, lifting boxes over half my weight, working on a line moving so fast nobody could keep up but they'd rather redo bad packages than slow it down one notch so we could put out more "good" packages to begin with, supervisors yelling at everybody, no health care, 10 minute lunches, minimum wage, and the list goes on. All you're doing when you buy made in the US stuff is supporting US companies who could pay a living wage to their workers and still make billions in profit, but they won't. No different than supporting MOST companies outside the US despite only the bad foreign companies making American news.

Ironically sometimes the Chinese workers have it better. Despite the pay being less, it's still usually a living wage because the cost of living is so low and medical is free over there.

[Galactica]

Working in warehouses in the US isn't all that great for work conditions either, so made in the US doesn't mean much to me. I've slaved away with long hours, overheated, lifting boxes over half my weight, working on a line moving so fast nobody could keep up but they'd rather redo bad packages than slow it down one notch so we could put out more "good" packages to begin with, supervisors yelling at everybody, no health care, 10 minute lunches, minimum wage, and the list goes on. All you're doing when you buy made in the US stuff is supporting US companies who could pay a living wage to their workers and still make billions in profit, but they won't. No different than supporting MOST companies outside the US despite only the bad foreign companies making American news.

Actually, a lot of US companies are getting a lot of flack, it sounds like Amazon in particular can be a pretty difficult place to work: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/05/07/amazon-warehouse-workers-lunch-breaks_n_5283329.html

[June]

Some jobs are always going to be hard and/or dangerous no matter how good conditions workers have. Metalworking, fishing in the open sea, farming...

[MiRaja]

I watched a documentary recently called The Light Bulb Conspiracy which explored planned obsolescence as a means to keep up demand for new products. So many products designed to fail, even printer cartridges programmed to only print a certain number of pages before saying they're empty. But there are organisations like http://therestartproject.org/ that are trying to empower people to repair and reuse their electronics. They even have a link to free software that will reprogram the obsolescence chip in your printer to stop lying about ink levels! 

This video briefly highlights the inspiration behind the project: http://therestartproject.org/consumption/we-are-the-circular-economy/

Sadly that is true. Most of the electronics have up to 1 year warranty and cars up to 5 (or X km). And they aren't cheap. Lots people don't notice how, in fact, their expensive phones break easily because they replace them with a new model very soon. I remember hearing a story that some carriers stopped offering Nokia 3200 (or some similar model) because it lasted longer than the contract (2 years) and people didn't want to buy a new phone. I've never heard about the ink. I'm not really surprised, though...

The video is really interesting. I've never looked at rooting and custom ROMs on androids as recycling per se. I knew how restricted those phones really are and I would root my smartphone if I had one, but I have never made this connection before Sadly, a lot of people don't think it's worth the effort, or just want an excuse to buy something new.

About the computers... My current PC is second-hand custom built, but I'll probably build my next one myself. I avoid laptops because I don't really need one and they are more expensive and, basically, not upgradeable. If my 3 PCs I had trough these 12 years were laptops, I would need at least 5 or 6 of them if I counted easy repairs done by replacing components, which wouldn't be possible on a laptop.

I am a hardcore Nokia fan.  Even their newer stuff holds up very well.  My phone is nearly to two years, and it's the longest I've had a cell last.  I'm very hard on them, they get tossed about, jammed, thrown, and well, this one got completely submerged in a tea cup.  Yeah, don't ask, but it lived!  Works just fine, and I have NO plans to replace it.  I do not replace electronics unless they are broken.  I'm still working on an old school ipod that I've had since High School. . .  And I'm almost 27!  So, it's nine years old!  I fear I will be having to replace my laptop soon.  It works quite poorly, at about 4yo's. 

Don't get me started on cars, goodness! I was so ticked off when GM retired its 3800 engine, because they've been using it since the 1960's, as it's been THAT good of an engine( They came in base model Firebirds, Grand Prixs, Bonnevilles and some Buicks, and if you take care of them, they easily get up to 300k or higher ), but oh no, it's obsolete, we built a car with it two years ago that put out about 300hp but oh no, obsolete, no good. . .  I was so ticked off in February because my car got reared ended and ruined.  I was still on my first car, had it over eight years, it was in immaculate condition despite having 160k on it ( miles, not kilometers ) and running perfect.  I had NO plans on replacing that car.  Guh.  The one I have now, I've had non-stop headaches with.  It's the same model, but a different package ( different engine and electronics ), and the previous owner did not take care of it the way I took care of mine. . .  So, headache city! 

People's perception of everything is throw it away when it gets old.  We even do it to our own people.  It's disgusting living in a disposable society, and I get sick of some people moaning about how little money they have when they have new hand bags and new phones and a new car.  I don't begrudge anyone of anything, but if you want to save money or just even scrape by and pay your bills, you have to tighten down and make some sacrifices or just learn to live without replacing everything for NEW stuff.  And it is just stuff!  STUFF! 

I have tons of stuff, too, but it's almost all used and old stuff.  Antique stuff.  Vintage stuff.  Pre-owned stuff. 

[achab1984]

I would have a lot less stuff in my life if I was single, But I do the best that I can with others in the house. I have always been a neat freak at heart. Even when I was a little kid Less stuff, more money in the saving account and less stress in my life!