Throw-away Society

Post by **Mick F** » 18 Jan 2009, 7:59am

We needed a new glass shade for our light fitting in the living room.
(Yes, it was me. I broke it!)

We hadn't had it long, so we popped into B&Q and enquired about a replacement glass bit. "Sorry," we were told, "They're imported from China and we can't supply spares." So we bought a complete new light fitting, just for the glass bit.

Cost? Only £12.98. It would've cost a tenner for the glass, if we could have got one I suppose.

This is the same with bike components. Use it, if it breaks, you can't repair it, so buy a complete new one. Chuck out the old one.

kwackers · Post by **kwackers** » 18 Jan 2009, 9:19am

One of the things I found disillusioning about freecycle, the realisation that you can't give away something unless it's highly desirable and nearly new...

Change is coming, rapidly disappearing resources will force it upon us. Plus even as we speak it's becoming economically viable to 'mine' our old tips - what does that say?

pete75 · Post by **pete75** » 18 Jan 2009, 10:05am

kwackers wrote:One of the things I found disillusioning about freecycle, the realisation that you can't give away something unless it's highly desirable and nearly new...

Haven't found that at all. I've disposed of old pallets, ancient hamster cages, a 30 years old greenhouse with hardly any glass left etc on there.
You must live in a prosperous part of the country

Post by **Mick F** » 18 Jan 2009, 11:26am

Do you want a light fitting with no glass?
The glass you can't get unless you buy a complete light fitting?

It's like buying a bike with no wheels and in order to get some wheels, you need to buy a bike.

pete75 · Post by **pete75** » 18 Jan 2009, 11:29am

Mick F wrote:Do you want a light fitting with no glass?
The glass you can't get unless you buy a complete light fitting?

It's like buying a bike with no wheels and in order to get some wheels, you need to buy a bike.

Actually I do - or rather did - put another light up in the shed yesterday....

Post by **Mick F** » 18 Jan 2009, 12:30pm

A bit too swish for a shed?

(Note the new glass fitted successfully)

pete75 · Post by **pete75** » 18 Jan 2009, 1:00pm

[quote="Mick F"]

A bit too swish for a shed?

(Note the new glass fitted successfully)[/quote

That would make it a shed deluxe

Post by Si » 18 Jan 2009, 6:39pm

Talking of throw away society.....somewhat annoyed by the number of inner tubes left at the sides of quiet country lanes. I'd like to give the culprits the benefit of the doubt and assumed that they'd accidentally fallen out of their bags as hurried post-p*nct*re repacking (all had p*nct*res) but I fear that that is being a little optimistic.

kwackers · Post by **kwackers** » 18 Jan 2009, 6:50pm

Si wrote:Talking of throw away society.....somewhat annoyed by the number of inner tubes left at the sides of quiet country lanes. I'd like to give the culprits the benefit of the doubt and assumed that they'd accidentally fallen out of their bags as hurried post-p*nct*re repacking (all had p*nct*res) but I fear that that is being a little optimistic.

The only green cyclists are utility cyclists :wink:

Littering is one of my main bugbears and nothing makes my blood boil more than a car driver chucking litter out of their window as they drive along. There's absolutely no reason to do it.
Obviously the same goes for anyone, cyclists too although can't say I've ever seen one litter yet.

Which brings me on to a story I'd long since forgotten, on my motorcycle coming back from work along Edge Lane (out of Liverpool) I was filtering through the slow moving traffic down towards the motorway when someone chucked a dog end out of their window and it landed right in my lap!
I was so incensed I slammed on (from 5mph) and as the car levelled flicked it back through their open window along with a curt remark.
The panic on her face as she frantically tried to figure out where it had gone was a picture.
I had an ace mental picture as I continued of a burned out new Mondeo lining the route out of the city, although I suspect the more likely outcome was she found it and threw it back out...

glueman · Post by **glueman** » 18 Jan 2009, 8:01pm

If you look at the price of mass produced far eastern bikes, particularly in the sales, it's probably cheaper to equip a favourite frame with the components and dispose of the new one than buy the parts separately.

The little bits like bolts, rim tape, tubes, cables and whatnot can cost a pretty penny before you get to the major stuff.
A trip to the dump is quite depressing, wide screen TVs, stereos, computers and white goods by the ton many of which I doubt are more than 4 or 5 years old.

lauriematt · Post by **lauriematt** » 19 Jan 2009, 3:49pm

Si wrote:Talking of throw away society.....somewhat annoyed by the number of inner tubes left at the sides of quiet country lanes. I'd like to give the culprits the benefit of the doubt and assumed that they'd accidentally fallen out of their bags as hurried post-p*nct*re repacking (all had p*nct*res) but I fear that that is being a little optimistic.

ive yet to come across a inner tube at the side of the road.....afterall all my miles of country riding. i personally repair it - instead of replacing it....dont even bother carrying a spare tube

gaz · Post by **gaz** » 19 Jan 2009, 6:01pm

Last week the iron went wrong. It's one of those steam generator jobs, almost three years old.

Plugged it in, switched it on, none of the lights came on. Changed the fuse, same result.

Loose wire?

I turned it over to take a look, torx head screws. No problem, I think, quick trip to the garage for a set of torx drive bits.

Oh, no. It couldn't be that simple could it. Each torx screw had a dimple in the middle requiring a torx drive with a matching indentation.

Never one to give up at the first hurdle I decided to try drilling. Unfortunately this failed to either remove the dimples or make an indentation in the tool. I then tried the DIY shop who could not provide a suitable torx drive.

So it's in the bin and a new one arrives on Wednesday.

I am part of the throw away society, not for want of trying though.

Post by **Mick F** » 19 Jan 2009, 7:43pm

"Security" screws.
You can buy the tools, but even if you get into the toaster/iron/grill/drill/tool/random electrical goods ....... you can't fix it anyway.

patricktaylor · Post by **patricktaylor** » 19 Jan 2009, 8:56pm

The colour laser printer I had cost about £140 (including toner). A full set of replacement cartridges: over £160. I appreciate that the replacement cartridges might contain a bit more toner, but it didn't seem worth it so I threw the printer away (recyled). It was a big machine too.

As for electric kettles, we go through at least one new one every year - all sorts of makes and prices. They all stop working - unfixable. Toasters are the same. The latest is a Dualit, which has replaceable elements and hopefully won't melt in the meantime.

kwackers · Post by **kwackers** » 19 Jan 2009, 9:28pm

patricktaylor wrote:The colour laser printer I had cost about £140 (including toner). A full set of replacement cartridges: over £160. I appreciate that the replacement cartridges might contain a bit more toner, but it didn't seem worth it so I threw the printer away (recyled). It was a big machine too.

As for electric kettles, we go through at least one new one every year - all sorts of makes and prices. They all stop working - unfixable. Toasters are the same. The latest is a Dualit, which has replaceable elements and hopefully won't melt in the meantime.

It's not just lasers, often it's cheaper to buy a new inkjet printer too. The cost of ink is outrageous and obviously where they make their money.

Bad luck with the kettles, ours is nearly 15 years old!

Dualit is a good bet, expensive but spares are readily available. Sadly it's a good example of if you want something that lasts and is worth repairing you've got to spend money on it.