Question

What is planned obsolescence? How does it contribute to environmental problems? (300words)

Answer 1

Planned Odsolescence

Plannned Odsolescene is a strategy, A current or new product will become damaged and Useless after a time period.This Strategy gives guarantee to the customers that this product will be replaced after becoming useless. This strategy is very much benefitial for selling a product. Many Buisness organization had used this plan to sell more products.It can be achived by a small introduction of replacement policy or Design.(Cooper, 2016)

As example

A Smartphone sellers often use this strategy to sell more Smartphone. They always ensure customers that The smartphone will be replaced when i will be damaged.

Not only Smartphone sellers Computer selling industry also mostly use this strategy to get more customers. Sometimes they give 2-3 Years warrenty which seems really attractive offer to the customers.

Types of Planned Obsolescence

Sometimes Planned Odsolescence only designed to estimate the product's life span or To estimate how many days it will work.Some business organization use many kinds of strategy to achive Planned Odsolescence.They Often use these strategies

• Use of Unrealieable or poor quality products, So that it will automaticly damaged after some period of time and the customer will buy a new product again.
• Sometime some business organization appoints some good marketing officers who have a great convincing power. They used to convince the customers that which product they are using it has a new updated version with more advanced features. It sounds really benefital to the customers and they becomes convinced for the upgradation of the product. This strategy is often used in the service centers of smartphone.(Fitzpatrick., 2011)

Environmental Problem

Planned Obsolescence has some negative affects for the Environmet.According to a recent study, Using some used Hardware for Designing a bridge, can be the cause of a biggest disaster.Because most of the used hardware becomes useless after some years(25%- 60%).(Burns, 2016)

Polluting the Environment

Electronic products mostly invented by some multitude Elements.Throwing Damaged Electronic Products in anywhere polluting the Soil, Water and other natural sources.This is the biggest ill effect of Planned Obsolescence.

Improper Recycle

If these products are not properly recycled then it can be the causes of many kinds of Diseases and Nerve demages. Because when it is not properly recycle then some elements like Mercury, Cadmium even Carcinogenic elements can exploait the environment which will Affect the health.

Burning Plastics and Invalueable Materials

According to some environment specialist, Burning or Useless products and Plastics can be the causes of Cancer. But still now Some Business organization used to burn these products while Obsolesence. United Kingdom is taking steps to stop this burning procedure but in Ghana it is very common.(Fitzpatrick, 2011)

References

Fitzpatrick, K., 2011. Planned obsolescence: Publishing, technology, and the future of the academy. NYU Press.

Burns, B., 2016. Re-evaluating obsolescence and planning for it. In Longer Lasting Products (pp. 65-86). Routledge.

Cooper, T. ed., 2016. Longer lasting products: alternatives to the throwaway society. CRC Press.

Fitzpatrick, K., 2011. Planned obsolescence. Publishing, Technology, and.

Aladeojebi, T.K., 2013. Planned obsolescence. International Journal of Scientific & Engineering Research, 4(6), pp.1504-1508.

Farole, T. and Akinci, G. eds., 2011. Special economic zones: progress, emerging challenges, and future directions. World Bank Publications.