Why Do People Keep Buying More Stuff Instead of Fixing It?
The two most likely causes of this “new” trend of replacement instead of repair are increased wealth and busier lifestyles. The result of industrialization has been the ability for more people to be able to replace things when they need replaced. Furthermore, the accelerated pace of life that technology has brought about makes it frequently easier to simply buy a new version of something instead of working hard on fixing the old one.consumer behavior (ad)
However, this phenomenon has some negative consequences. This just leads to waste and adds pressure on the environment as a whole. It also means that there are valuable resources being underutilized. Also, replacing items ALL the time is a lot of money to spend and repairing is cheaper than always replacing.
It begins with shifting the mindset. Encourage people to realise the environment and financial benefits of their choices. Fostering a repair and maintenance-oriented mindset can reduce waste, and help push toward more sustainable consumption. Finally, tougher regulation from governments or more external pressure from businesses could lead to accessible repair services at a reasonable price. If we all band together, we wouldn’t need to buy new items left and right instead of fixing or replacing what breaks when the benefits are so well worth it.
