5 ms·

The article talks about, but seems to conflate, what I see as two different problems. One problem is that retail outlets destroy and throw out unsold inventory;

The article talks about, but seems to conflate, what I see as two different problems. One problem is that retail outlets destroy and throw out unsold inventory; the other is that individuals throw out unwanted, post-used goods. The latter of these problems seems like it could be much more manageable, but if we lump it together with the former, we risk minimizing some solutions. I've gotten the lion's share of my furniture either from individuals or from Craigslist. Right now, I'm sitting in my kitchen eating lunch, on chairs that I did buy new, and looking around: my "decor" are plants, empty espresso roast cans, mason jars salvaged from sauces, and empty craft beer cans from various local breweries (we're lucky to have three or four per town, and they all have super-creative labels). This is after just getting home in a used luxury car, earlier today having woken up to a 70s Realistic clock radio, typing this post on an off-lease (but rock solid) ThinkPad, and so on. The picture I'm trying to paint there will differ depending on your own attitudes towards the "waste" stream. Most people around me have commented positively on it - the furniture is "nice", from old-money brownstones in downtown; the beer can collection is a great conversation starter. But of course, there are still some (and luckily, seemingly, a minority) who can only see it as trash, a sign that I've "opted out" of basic economics, or at worst, that I just don't care enough about my appearance.

sologoub 5y ago
Retail waste of unsold inventory could also be managed with proper incentives/tax benefits. We take great pains to make sure we donate whatever we don’t need that isn’t really trash. What shocked me is that a lot of time the typical places like Salvation Army and Goodwill won’t even take stuff because they get too much! We had a perfectly good fridge to give away (everything working, clean, cosmetically near perfect - just didn’t fit in the new place we moved to) and literally no one would take it. Finally was able to give it to a friend of a friend. EDIT: Also remembered that we tried to give away a commercial-grade dishwasher to Habitat for Humanity who build/rehab housing for low income folks. They politely explained that they couldn’t take it because it didn’t meet efficiency requirements. While I’m all for being efficient with power, it feels like a waste of resources in this case that could have gone towards more housing (it’s an issue of laws in CA).
- ipaddr 5y ago
  Reuse = replace when it comes to energy waste.
- dehrmann 5y ago
  > Retail waste of unsold inventory could also be managed with proper incentives/tax benefits. I'm not convinced CVS throws away enough hair brushes and toothpaste (examples from the article) that they'd care about the incentives.
- bobthepanda 5y ago
  > While I’m all for being efficient with power, it feels like a waste of resources in this case that could have gone towards more housing (it’s an issue of laws in CA). Keep in mind that homes for Habitat for Humanity go to low income people. Energy efficiency standards for appliances have made them drastically more efficient over the years, and it's probably not great to saddle low income people with higher energy bills. In fact, a big problem with continued improvements in this area is that low income people are the most likely to be living with less efficient appliances, homes with inefficient heating, cooling and insulation, etc. and they also do not have the money to actually upgrade any of that and lower their bills.
  - sologoub 5y ago
    The difference for the dishwasher we had was minimal, but due to being commercial, it wasn’t certified with the right rating. It would have likely been a great option due to durability and the overall quality.
- Spooky23 5y ago
  Appliance energy rules are incredibly dumb. We yield marginal downward demand curve for electricity, in exchange for shit appliances that have a 4-5 year expected life. I’ve probably bought more appliances in 15 years of home ownership than my parents did in 50.
  - Dylan16807 5y ago

sologoub 5y ago

Retail waste of unsold inventory could also be managed with proper incentives/tax benefits. We take great pains to make sure we donate whatever we don’t need that isn’t really trash. What shocked me is that a lot of time the typical places like Salvation Army and Goodwill won’t even take stuff because they get too much! We had a perfectly good fridge to give away (everything working, clean, cosmetically near perfect - just didn’t fit in the new place we moved to) and literally no one would take it. Finally was able to give it to a friend of a friend. EDIT: Also remembered that we tried to give away a commercial-grade dishwasher to Habitat for Humanity who build/rehab housing for low income folks. They politely explained that they couldn’t take it because it didn’t meet efficiency requirements. While I’m all for being efficient with power, it feels like a waste of resources in this case that could have gone towards more housing (it’s an issue of laws in CA).

ipaddr 5y ago
Reuse = replace when it comes to energy waste.
dehrmann 5y ago
> Retail waste of unsold inventory could also be managed with proper incentives/tax benefits. I'm not convinced CVS throws away enough hair brushes and toothpaste (examples from the article) that they'd care about the incentives.
bobthepanda 5y ago
> While I’m all for being efficient with power, it feels like a waste of resources in this case that could have gone towards more housing (it’s an issue of laws in CA). Keep in mind that homes for Habitat for Humanity go to low income people. Energy efficiency standards for appliances have made them drastically more efficient over the years, and it's probably not great to saddle low income people with higher energy bills. In fact, a big problem with continued improvements in this area is that low income people are the most likely to be living with less efficient appliances, homes with inefficient heating, cooling and insulation, etc. and they also do not have the money to actually upgrade any of that and lower their bills.
- sologoub 5y ago
  The difference for the dishwasher we had was minimal, but due to being commercial, it wasn’t certified with the right rating. It would have likely been a great option due to durability and the overall quality.
Spooky23 5y ago
Appliance energy rules are incredibly dumb. We yield marginal downward demand curve for electricity, in exchange for shit appliances that have a 4-5 year expected life. I’ve probably bought more appliances in 15 years of home ownership than my parents did in 50.
- Dylan16807 5y ago