electric light bulbs are actually made to fail eventually, otherwise they would be everlasting, or just about, and the companies making them would lose out on a lot of custom. Cynical, but it's the way of the world.

The thinking changed. The companies realised they could get more money selling bucket loads of small units that wouldn't last long but we're cheap, so consumers wouldn't mind because they weren't that invested to begin with. To buy something of quality that lasts 10-20 years is more like a one off sale, especially if you can repair or touch them up then they may even last a life time. That's not great from a company's point of view. They want to see constant revenue. So they changed the consumers way of thinking, though advertising, promotion and other means selling you things you don't really need, but think you do.

What do I think? I think you are right. But there is little that an individual can do. I am afraid we are stuck with it.

We have become a throw away society sadly. Being older, I find great value in bringing life back to old items. Most recently we salvaged a nightstand from someone's bulk pick up. My Grandaughter learned how to sand furniture, stain and lacquer it. And she takes pride in her work which she would not find in a new piece of furniture. Win Win!

The western world relies on capitalism to keep things going nicely. Capitalism relies on the consumption of goods and services to keep it going. Therefore, to keep the economy growing, we need to be consuming more. Often people are working so hard to continue to keep purchasing these goods and services, that there is no time to recycle, and reuse within the immediate family and beyond. Our expectations of what is acceptable to have in our household inventories has increased dramatically, making the slightly old fashioned, used and previously loved outside of our definition of desirable. It is shiny new and won't last long, and CHEAP, that is what we will buy.

both have been around for a while, but recyclable is the newer one. But then again, rag and bone men, bottle-os were around when I was a lad. at one time if it wasn't metal, it was rubbish and off to the tip it went.

was a time ago but I remember a big Clydesdale that delivered milk to our door via the milkman, he took the empties and replaced them with filled ones that had an inch of cream on top of the milk, and all clothes were hand-me-downs and if you were the youngest you only got new stuff if it was your birthday or Christmas I still have my parents Kelvinator, it's over 50 years old, plus many other tools and things if you look after stuff it looks after you, there is one thing id love the world to recycle and that's the old ways

Yes, Linda C is right, its all about money. To get other countries to import our products, we have to make a gesture of good will and allow them access to our markets as well. Its just a shame that we can't have rules where that product has to be of a reasonable quality. The cheap imports have caused many of our own industries to close as we couldn't make them as cheaply. In my own experience, its just not worth bothering to sew or knit anymore, why would you when you can buy something and toss it out and buy another one. What happens when our tips can't take anymore? We are already stockpiling plastic and other recyclable products that China won't take anymore, and there's a real possibility it may all be burnt or end up in landfill.

yes

When companies knew they could make money out of it. Hit people with the guilt

When I started work in 1964, I spend six months getting all my tools I needed to use and still have the receipts to prove it. Most of them were Sidchrome and made to last, but the tools you buy today you are lucky if they last the day out. I've had to buy a few more tools over the last few years and I must say they are complete rubbish. Nothing is made to last anymore, so I don't know if that comes under recyclable (scrap metal) or just plain waste. Does any one have a view on that? Edited 26-Mar-21 18:57pm

There is a shop called Weaver Green in Noosa that sells English made rugs, bags, cushion covers etc made from a process using shredded plastic bottles, treated & softened. The fabric is surprisingly soft but not sure you could wear it.

Another thing about the recyclable era. I know for a fact that all TVs made in China have a special chip installed so that they cannot be fixed. Not sure about other stuff, but it would not surprise me if they did, because no one wants to fix anything any more.

We still have a working upright freezer bought in the mid '70s. Hoping it will keep going for a few more decades.

I agree that we are being cheated.

I am still thinking.... When I find answer I will let you know.

Anyone remember that Monty Python sketch...the four Yorkshire men..?...look it up on You tube ...that sounds like us! ...we didn't have any clothes or food or toys...we made oor own fun in them days!..... Edited 15-Mar-21 23:50pm

When I started work in 1969 I bought myself 4 good quality plastic lunch boxes. I was still using them just over 40 years later when I finished working. A couple the corners of the lids were just starting to split. After I left work I used them to put home grown stewed fruit in them until the lids split more. The bases of 2 of them I put gravel in and sat small pot plants in them temporarily. My friends laughed about that a few times. I think I did a good job using the boxes for so long. By the way, they were not Tupperware eitherEdited 15-Mar-21 21:37pm

Growing up we had hardly any rubbish to throw out in a bin, everything was used up and repaired or reused in another capacity. There was no packaging to throw away, no plastic, we drank from glasses that could be washed and never needed straws. Recently I was told our conditioner was too old [20 years] and there were no parts. We could buy a new one and the repairman would take ours away. He did say it was the condenser that was at fault, so we took a picture of the one in the air conditioning unit, googled condensers and found one that was compatible. The air conditioning unit is still working now after another 6 years. Sometimes you can do something yourself - googling how to do things often helps you get many more years out of your appliances.

Our next door neighbour was a bootmaker. He replaced heels and soles on shoes. for many years. Shoes were leather - none of them were synthetic at all. From when we were little our shoes were cleaned with shoe polish once a week. Problem we grew out of them too soon. I know my parents' shoes got new soles and heels quite a few times before they needed to be replaced. One washing machine we had that wasn't safe to repair Mum used as a flower tub and also grew spring onions in it. My current washing machine is 8 years old. I am wondering how much longer it will last. It is used the average of once a fortnight for a full load. It has several water levels so I can choose the one that I need and save a considerable amount of water. I also discovered that in many cases you don't need as much detergent as is printed on the container. Extra does your clothing no advantage.

I still get milk in returnable glass bottles. I still fix things. I buy second hand as much as possible. It’s not difficult to make changes to decrease your waste and your recycling.

Former Whitlam government, bought in overseas tariffs and taking businesses off shore making things cheaper and nasty. Along with it many businesses and jobs, and cheaper items, that end up in landfill.

I will reuse if I can, recyclable if I can. There is still crap left that nobody wants or knows what to do with. In the future I hope every item can and will be turned into something new. This may come when new materials are developed in the coming years.

It depends how we look at it some recycling is good some is bad doesn't it depend on the item

Planned obsolescence ...

How true, our world has gone mad not just with reusable & recyclable goods. It's changing brand names that have been around for years eg Coon Cheese and now we are on a vendetta for books & cartoons. I have a electric fridge which is 15 years old and still going strong.

No idea

I think you're right. My family had a washing machine that lasted over 20 years and we had other really old appliances that still worked (a blender and mixer). I liked their retro look too. These days you'd be lucky for anything to last for 10 years. And even mobile phones, so many people buy a new one each year. I buy mine 2nd hand and keep it as long as possible.

Cheap materials, cheap labour and a ridiculous amount of plastic. We're not the only ones living with rubbish, so are marine animals because of all the things thrown in the sea.

Things changed when the woke generation took over and started renaming everything held dear by the rest of us. They should be grateful not try changing everything

DREAD TO THINK.

I sometimes or i used to re-use and re-use bottles of water but now i don't do that any more but i do put recycling in it recycling bin.

back in 50 60 we were recyling glass milk bottles rewashed to fill with milk nothing was wasted even our left over food if any went to the pigman came arould once a week lift a clean garbage bin and took the full one to feed his pigs no plastic no plastic cups plates this is this generations doing

I think we should go back to milk in glass bottles which are sterilised & refilled over & over. ie reuseable bottles rather than using plastic bottles.

Andrew, How right you are! To name but 4 countries the rubbish coming out of China, India, Bangladesh, Pakistan is mond-boggling! I used to buy size 10 shoes. Today the size is anything from 9 to 16. Quality Control is non-existent. The reason this cheap garbage is coming in is because the countries which are making it employ Slave-to-almost non-existent wages. China Forces their Prison Inmates to work in these sweat-shops and do it for nothing and they have admitted that is what they do. An Abuse of Human Rights. Clothing, Footwear and Textiles Made in Australia, England etc. used to last for decades and then when they had really worn out they could be recycled. Now these things last for months if we are very lucky. Of course the Manufacturers - often Australian, Amercian, British or European Owned get this stuff made super cheaply and then - at least in Australia - they charge prices as if thos items were actually Made in Australia using Australian Labour at Australian Wages. and it probably also applies ac

Technology and automation have made it easier to produce goods. Now it needs to make things sustainably but it’s not quite there yet. Society needs to be nudged towards this and this means governments really need to set aside politics and actually do what is needed, a bitter pill for any political party and the public also....lol ....just like Mum makes you wash behind your ears.

Big business does not want things to last any more than a couple of years

What went wrong?- greed and the worrshipping of the almighty dollar is what went wrong,people have had it drummed into them that the only thing that matters is the economy,peopl,things,enviroment all come behind the money,and to keep the economy flowing you need to consume more,hence things built to a price and not a standard

The 2 are not necessarily the same things. Many houses used to reuse supermarket shopping bags as rubbish bags. Now we buy rubbish bags that can be made of recycled materials but still can't be recycled. The laminate on the kitchen & bathroom benches in the house we rent are fading where they get wet, but my parents' kitchen benches were solid wood & lasted for more than 40 years. I still use my Dads electric drill & it still works because the only plastic parts are the trigger & handle cover. It has outlasted 2 rechargeable drills. The handsaw I use has a wooden handle & I sharpen the blade with a file. Apparently I recently "upcycled" an old solid wood door we bought to replace a broken modern one. It's still being used as a door - it's been refurbished & reused, same as my Grandmothers' dresser made in 1908. Some things are made to last & some aren't, it's all about money, sometimes for multi-national multi-million dollar companies yet most people reading this rant aren't millionaires.

Some good comments here

our next BIG recycle problem will be solar panels. to date the actual panel cannot be recycled, only the metal holding frame. think about it. about in 10/15 years time when all our hugh solar farms and even households need to be replaced.

Wow, the words are flowing today!!

Firstly I strongly do think that anyone who sells or tries to sell me rubbish is a friend of mine and I very much doubt of thine! Unfortunately as our local manufacturing, clothing and any other clever creative industries have been so severely cut down in their prime and all labels on these items are from overseas, now reign supreme, we are more or less forced to purchase them and making a stand on not doing so we would be living very spartan lives and walking around naked! Think of just the socks as an example, after a couple of weeks the heals go on them, clothes as stitched so close to the edge that you practically have to reinforce the stitching so they don't fall apart on you. Even things imported from our ANZAC neighbour across the way are only packaged there not MADE there! Rubbish is manufactured in third world countries and we are supposed to feel great that we are supporting them then accused of dumping these "goods" when some only last a few days. Office equipment, White Goods and other "stuff

I definitely agree in principle. But there has to be a balance. Things change and we need to adapt to that. Consumer demand has meant cheap products throughout the world. But surely that means more people can afford such things as refrigerators and more jobs are generated. Perhaps in time a market will develop for higher quality, longer lasting goods for those prepared to pay the price. That will generate jobs for repairers but not prejudice the cheaper, more available consumer goods market.

Producing items with a short lifespan is happening as companies look to their profits, and put that ahead of everything else, including service to the consumer and the effect of their activities on climate change (to list just two).

Ahhh yes, the milk bottles were delivered to our house (the milkman was very popular back in the days..). Not only are items crap nowadays but the amount of unnecessary packaging boggles the mind too! Sometimes I think you need a degree just to open some items. I'm all for op shops and buying second hand. Pick up a decent piece of furniture made of solid wood instead of MDF! I'm a dab hand on the sewing machine and with power tools so I like 'repurposing' items. It is a WANT society not a NEED society now. Great topic Mr Andrew B :)

It's not cheap to get shoes fixed yet when I was at school I was wearing my older sister's hand-me-down shoes, uniforms she had grown out of and text books she no longer used. What happened?

yes we are a throw away society every body wants new and better

And almost every group of suburban shops would have had a least one electrical repairman where you could take small appliances to be mended, or just buy a new cord/element for your kettle! Nowadays, the elements are all concealed, so repair is impossible.

If you can repair things it would usually cost less than buying new, so if you were to opt to get it fixed the company would not be able to sell more new.

I remember having small glass bottles of milk being delivered to the school I went to and we all got one everyday to drink and return the bottle to the crate. At home we would have the large bottles delivered which you would return .... occasionally we would keep one and use it as a rolling pin for rolling out pastry etc. Sadly those days are gone. I feel for our future generation. Far to much plastic is used these days. All the comments I have read so far have captured it perfectly. The government,businesses and we as individuals need to stop and rethink and change what we do and buy.

This is for the government and the people to reach a consensus and work together.

Very true. I wish we would become like the country (I can’t remember which one) that everything was recyclable and you would get charged per garbage bag.

Very true

Yes we need mor quality stuff

I agree. Unfortunately unless we start making our own like we used to it will be difficult to change. It put a lot of businesses out as a result. As humans we are a wasteful lot. I try to recycle even the McDonalds wraps etc. I bring it all home. Still a lot of shopping Centres do not see or care that when someone buys takeaway they throw card board and paper in bins as well as bottles. Fines should be implemented that way people may learn a valuable lesson if they ever will. Unfortunately during my life time I may not see the disaster that may unfold due to selfish people. But the next generation will.

It all comes down to money & plenty of it. Sadly it has become so easy to replace that fridge, or TV & there is so much of it ( made in China) that we buy a cheap & nasty type easy to throw away if it breaks down.

It all started in Australia when someone decided to make money out of the poor, thus started reusable for recyclable. Our government sold us out to our comrades in China by way of trade. We give them our good resources and in return we are given cheap rubbish that only last until the year of the dog then fall apart. I have always said that Australia can stand on it's own feet as we have almost everything in this country, but that would not be nice to the rest of the world. Our companies are leaving for cheaper shores. We are drowning in rubbish, drowning in debt, drowning in a lack of empathy as no one cares any more, and a world drowning in a sea of people that wants everything now instead of waiting until they can afford it. It all contributes to the recyclable era.

One, we (humans) are getting buried in rubbish - but we (humans) value quantity (cheap) over quality (expensive) - let future generations solve environment issues. Two, we are not being cheated, we are cheating our ownselves - greed over scruples - being hoisted by our own petards. Three, I always thought of reusable as clothing, etc. (which you can write-off on your federal income tax form in USA), - and recyclable as bottles and cans - (which you can not write-off on your federal income tax form in USA). Last, I like your Discussion of the Day - Andrew B. - it made me think!!!Edited 15-Mar-21 04:45am

It is all about the dollar these days or whatever currency is being dealt in. Companies found cheaper ways to make things and the consumer fell for it and now we have this huge problem with rubbish, plastic especially, electrical items, computers and even ink cartridges and so much more. If you can reuse something that is great but recyclable is when a product like plastic is sent to a place to break it down and start again. Curious Andrew. How did your milk get delivered? what are electric floats that came to your door?