Made to Break

"At present it's much cheaper to buy a new microwave, DVD players, or vacuum cleaner than to get a malfunctioning one fixed. That's crazy." -MacKay, 225

Once upon a time, people wore clothes until they tore, patched them up, and wore them again. Once upon a time, my mom darned socks instead of throwing them away and buying a new package. Once upon a time when something broke you brought it in to to a repair shop, waited a few days, then picked it up and it was good as new. There has been a shift within the past few decades away from this repair mentality to a toss it and buy a new one mindset.

Electronics are almost made to break, with their 90 day warranties and hard to reach customer service. Last September I bought an HP DeskJet Printer for $25; it came with a black and color ink. My ink ran out at the beginning of this term and upon going to buy new ink I noticed it was cheaper to buy a new printer that comes with free ink, then to buy replacement ink. There is something wrong with this picture.

MacKay writes that the fact it is cheaper to replace and object than to get it fixed is due to our tax system, which taxes the repair man (225). This is true but it is also a case of externalizing the costs. Taken at sticker price, it is cheaper to buy a new printer or pair of shoes. In reality this is not the case. The environmental costs and already externalized from the shelf price (carbon emitted to make your shoes). But what about the environmental costs of disposing your old electronic?

It is an honest statement to say that you have no idea what happens to your old consumer good when your done. Chances are it is laid to rest in a landfill, or 'recycled,' which usually implies outsourcing to Third World countries, harmfully polluting citizens there.

My point of this ramble is that it is worth it to pay more and have a toaster or vacuum and pair of shoes fixed than to buy into the made to break market.

Here is an Annie Leonard video, part of her Story of Stuff web series:

Cool to be 'Cool'

"In Britain, for every degree that you turn the thermostat down, the heat loss decreases by about 10 %." -MacKay, 143

My last post was about how only doing a little goes a little ways, so it may seem hypocritical that this week is about as small as action as turning the thermostat down one degree. I was not trying to disown little actions, only stating that they get in the way of actually making progress. It is easy to say "oh, I unplug my charger and toaster now" and carry on solo commuting to work in your hummer. Little actions are good, just keep in mind that that is all they are: little, and much more needs to be done. That out of the way, let's talk about thermostats. MacKay writes that turning the thermostat down from 20*C to 15* C (68* F to 59* F) nearly halves heat loss (p, 141). This may seem like a large jump. I think that 59* F is a bit major, but it is not too painful to set the thermostat at 62* F or 65* F.

If wearing long sleeves and sweatshirts inside is not for you, MacKay offers a few other small suggestions for lowing heat consumption. Adding "loft insulation and cavity-wall insulation reduces heat loss in a typical old house by about 25%" (p, 142). Double-pane windows can also help to insulate a house. If you have done these small changes and are ready for a bigger investment, the most efficient way to heat a home is with a heat pump.

Posing with my houses heat pump

"Whereas the bar-fire's efficiency is 100%, the heat pump's is 400%." -MacKay, 147

First off, if anyone knows what a bar-fire is please let me know. Google only comes up with stories of fires in bars. Next, the matter of heat pumps. MacKay describes an air-source heat pump that warms up the outside air to cool down the air inside the building (air-conditioning), as well as working the other way around to heat the building. He also describes ground-source heat pump that cools down the ground using plumbing to heat your house. Heat pumps are still a form of electricity, but are the best 'future-proof' option for heating. Too expensive? Check that your house is properly insulated and crank the thermostat down. Sweats are in.

Energy Straight Talk

"Don't be distracted by the myth that 'every little helps.' If everyone does a little, we'll only achieve a little." -MacKay, 114

This book seems like it will most definitely live up to it's title. David MacKay is full of honesty. How many people would be able to shove the above comment in the world's face? 'Every little bit helps' is the mantra of the environmental movement, but he makes a truly valid point. Sure, everyone can unplug their cell phone chargers but that saves takes a small chunk of energy usage. Humans are the most adaptive species on earth, that is why we survived and beat out the archaic sapiens we roamed the earth with. So sure we have survived massive climate shifts before (the Pliocene to the Pleistocene) but this man-aided global warming is a different beast. Describing the doubling of CO2 emissions as having the same effect as raising the temperature 2% MacKay writes,

"Such temperatures have not been seen on earth for at least 100,000 years, and it's conceivable that the ecosystem would be so significantly altered that the earth would stop supplying some of the goods...taken for granted." -MacKay, 10

So what do we do? With a rising population about to top seven billion and a developing South, how do we shift the focus to better use of fossil fuels and alternative energy? We cannot keep taking little steps, but make large leaps. Do not just unplug your charger but your television, microwave, coffee maker, hairdryer. Sell your car and ride the bus. I have recently done this (not sold my car, but riding the bus into school), and it may not be the most fun, but I am saving tons of money. Country wise, the ethical thought needs to be 'the polluter must pay.' It simply makes the most sense. As MacKay puts it however, not just the contemporary polluter, but look at each countries historical footprint and gage from there (14). Big changes need to be made with supply and demand. MacKay offers some ideas on pg 115,

1. Reduce our population! He includes a controversial quote, "While the footprint of each individual cannot be reduced to zero, the absence of an individual does do so."

2. Changing our lifestyle. Examples: live where you work, ride your bike, use cloth shopping bags, consume only what you need, slow down.

Main point: Think big, act big. Go beyond just unplugging your chargers and buying organic label food.