Stop buying new appliances and repair them instead, government adviser says

[supersuds]

 

 

Give this man an honorary AW.org membership? From the UK Daily Telegraph:

British families should stop buying new cars, fridges and washing machines and instead repair them when they fail in a bid to save the environment, a senior Government adviser has said.

Professor David MacKay, the energy department’s chief scientific adviser, said that electronic equipment and cars should be kept for as long as possible and then disassembled so that components can be recycled.

Householders “buying lots of stuff and then throwing it away” make it “difficult” for ministers to reduce the country’s energy consumption, Prof MacKay said.

Officials believe that re-using household appliances and furniture could save families £1 billion a year as well as create work for repair shops across the country.

Around £17 billion could also be saved from the annual budgets of British businesses by reducing waste, a Government analysis has said.

 

....

 

“The whole system could use significantly less energy if we designed things to last, if we only bought things we need to use, if we used them for their full life, repairing them when necessary, and then disassembled them carefully so that components could be re-used,” he added.

Stop buying new appliances and cars and repair them instead, Government adviser says

Families should help environment by repairing electrical goods and cars rather than buying new, top Government adviser says

www.telegraph.co.uk

 

[davetranter]

I'll 'second' that.....

Make the man an honorary member!!

Was it Disraeli said 'The truth travels slowly, but will reach even you in time'??

It appears that the 'Sword of Truth' may have finally penetrated the 'Ivory Towers' at Westminster. Of course, it will be at least 20 years before this insight affects policy. :-(

All best

Dave T

 

[robliverpool]

If things were better built in the first place and repairs were cheaper then most people would repair. Sometimes it's cheaper to buy a whole new washing machine than to repair your old one. New washing machines have a basic start price from £139

 

[dj-gabriele]

Totally second that!
The door hinge on my oven broke (it's a basic non convection one in my rental flat), the repair quote was 80€ + 50€ for the repairman to come see it.
I simply ordered a new Candy convection oven on "super sale" for 159€ delivered.

 

[NYCWriter]

Wow ...

Something we've known all along: Stop manufacturing cheap throwaway crap. The message for the U.K. is the same as for the U.S.: "Made in USA"creates not only manufacturing jobs, but it also gives American consumers well-made products that can be REPAIRED rather than trashed (creating even more jobs for repairmen). And as a bonus, it helps the environment by dramatically cutting down on landfill refuse. A win-win-win all around. Sounds familiar? It's how the United States USED to be not too long ago ...

 

[mrb627]

Wow!

More free government advice!  

 

#1 Manufacturers need to make machines better built and more expensive so that repairs can be cost justified.

#2 Manufacturers should be heavily taxed / fined for continuing to build the cheap throw away crap that is out there.

 

Malcolm

 

[NYCWriter]

Malcolm ...

LOVE IT!

Which is exactly the way things USED to be in the U.S.

40 years ago, you didn't junk a toaster unless it was beyond repairing, because adjusted for inflation, even a humble Sunbeam 2-slice chrome toaster cost close to $200. There was no such thing as a $7 toaster from China.

And if you compute the inflation cost adjustments on major appliances like refrigerators, washers/dryers, and stoves from 40 years ago, you'll find that the "regular" brands (GE, Amana, Hotpoint, etc.) back then cost as much as the "high end" brands cost today.

I just saw a vintage ad (1965) for a GE Americana double-oven range that listed its price as $699.00. In today's dollars, that's over $5,000! Can you imagine anyone paying $5,000 for a GE range today? Of course not, because the "regular" brands are now cheaply made in China. But people DID pay that much back in 1965, because they were quality-made products, and because there were no cheaper alternatives.

Of course, the big difference back then was after you bought your range, you kept it for 30 years, rather than replacing it every 7 years to keep up with the latest interior design trends.

 

[turquoisedude]

Well, the folks on eBay seem to think someone will pay $5000 for a 1965 range now...

But seriously, this is the most sound government 'advice' that I've seen in a long time. Build it better, in the US (or Canada!), and reduce waste!!

I'd even consider returning to work for a re-opened appliance manufacturer...

 

[ozzie908]

All good providing...

we all start making appliances in our own country instead of cheap imports when did it become cheaper to import from miles away to making it ourselves? With a little luck maybe someone with enough money will start a new Hoover/Hotpoint/Servis company in the UK I know I would buy the appliances with made in the UK on them )

 

Austin

 

[NYCWriter]

Paul ...

… don't laugh.

I'm one of those people who'd pay $5,000 for an Americana range -- in mint condition -- in gas.

I'd even pay $1,000 more if it were in either harvest gold or avocado.

$2,000 more for turquoise.

 

[iheartmaytag]

Though we all agree I will bet the manufacturers of the cheap throw away appliances will beg the differ. They will respond not with better quality, repairable appliances, no they will respond with sales figures showing how much this government official hurt them and lay off more workers.

I remember when President Obama made the comment about private jets. That was a comment that hurt the private jet sales and our city was hit hard by it.

There was a time when a couple bought a new range when they bought their first house and that range lasted. The only reason they would consider replacing it was if they really wanted a new range. Now you have to buy a new range because after seven years the parts are no longer available if it breaks down.

Back then appliance manufacturers still built cheaper builder grade appliances for new developments or rentals, now that seems like it is all they are building because they want you to buy another unit in five to seven years.

Problem about repairing many appliances, especially small appliances like toasters, hair dryers, irons, even some vacuum cleaners is you can't. Most are welded, or glued together so that they can't be fixed when they break. Even if you could get them open to service, the parts are either not available, or so cost prohibitive that you are better off financially buying new.

 

[NYCWriter]

Good point, Harley ...

… but this is where MALCOLM'S second proposal kicks in:

#2 Manufacturers should be heavily taxed / fined for continuing to build the cheap throw away crap that is out there.

Purposely building for "planned obsolescence" -- cheap circuit boards that break down, plastics melded together rather than screwed, making repairs impossible -- should be fined or taxed to the point where they are no longer economically viable to manufacture.

 

[washman]

One facet is missing in all this

And that is the consumer!

Consumer spending drives 2/3 of economic activity.

It is the consumer who looks for the cheapest of the cheap. Appliance manufacturers are building junk for one primary reason.........we actually WANT it that way. We've bred an entire generation that does not understand anything beyond the cheapest price.

Everyone is all up in arms about quality or lack thereof but it seems no one actually wants to PAY what it takes to produce goods in this country. As such, we have even fewer choices now to buy local or domestic than at any point in our existence.

Everyone bitches about outsourced customer service, especially in the cell phone biz but not one person wants to pay one dime more for their monthly service to employ Americans at the call centers.

At a local furniture store, I bought Mobel pieces to replace the lousy RTA stuff I had for years. The saleslady told me she was glad I came in and bought it because the store was going to stop carrying Mobel. I asked why? It was USA made from REAL hardwood, not veneers, very well finished and classy. She told me lots of customers look at it, nod, make nice comments then ask "what do you have that is cheaper"? She then dutifully points the customer to the made someplace else line that is much less expensive.

Better, more durable products, especially appliances and furniture will come ONLY and ONLY when the consumer demands it and is willing to pay more for it. That is basic Econ 101 folks.

The two busiest stores in my area are Big Lots and Ollies in terms of foot traffic and number of cars parked out front. Third busiest is Sprawl mart. One thing all three have in common is piles of cheaply sourced merchandise and a grand marketing plan that tells the sheeple cheaper is better.

 

[NYCWriter]

As much as I hate to admit it ...

… the only way to change this course is through legislation.

Taxing and fining the hell out of the cheap crap will make the price tag for the poorly-made Chinese imports roughly the same as the well-built American products.

At that point, once there are no "cheap" alternatives, the spoiled Millennials will have no choice (if they're smart) but to shell out for the good stuff.

No doubt about it, there will be growing pains. But those pains are necessary to force such a dramatic U-turn in the direction we've been headed for decades.

 

[lightedcontrols]

The problem is.....

Back in the 20's to the 70's appliances were built to literally last a lifetime. Now they are built to last 5 to 7 years and then be recycled. Parts for these new machines are really expensive for just about all appliances made today. We took a Whirlpool Duet and priced all of the parts to build one. For this $999.00 machine, if you built it from parts, it would cost $7,388.26. Not that anyone would want to do this, but it gives you an idea of what parts cost for repair. Mark Lightedcontrols

 

[danemodsandy]

They'll Shut Him Up!

I have an idea this man will be silenced. I agree with him completely; there is no way to lower energy consumption with throwaway products, no matter how efficient they are in use, due to their energy consumption to manufacture.

But this statement flies in the face of current economic strategy, to say nothing of the collusion between government leaders and corporate interests.

Mr. McKay had better watch out, or he'll end up sweeping floors in a nursing home in Milton Keynes or stacking shelves at Asda or something. He certainly won't be advising on policy any more.

 

[davey7]

Of course people want things cheap with no service - one of the reason department stores are hurting (as well as mergers and poor merchandising and same same selection everywhere). In Chicago only ABT will take doors off fridges to deliver them.

 

[whirlcool]

But if appliances last longer and are made to be repaired what will happen to demand for new ones? And what will happen to the workers that build the new ones?

The BizJet debacle was one of Obama's first demonizations of people. People who are not presidents should just not be able to use private jets. Fact is, biz jets (as we call them) are a productivity tool for busy people. That's why corporations have them. They can take company management to smaller cities which may not have any airline service. Meetings are often held on these jets to/from their destinations.

But I'll agree it's funny that after how many years someone has come to their senses about repairing rather than replacing. We've been saying that for years.

 

[firedome]

Amazing, but wonderful...

that an official would say in public something so sensible. Would never happen here while the corporations are funding/controlling their politician/puppet's every move.