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DIY is one of the best ways to reduce conspicuous consumption and consumerism. Learn skills to make what you need rather than buying it. Learn to reuse material

DIY is one of the best ways to reduce conspicuous consumption and consumerism. Learn skills to make what you need rather than buying it. Learn to reuse materials as part of that process, and repair things back into working order. My favorite example of this is IKEA wood bed frames. I used to cruise around cities just picking up truckloads of perfectly good solid wood that people left on the street, and then would have endless supplies for building. I've built raised garden beds, new custom bed frames, awnings for porches, bird feeders and houses, tables, stools, shelves, and more, just from junk left on curbs. One time I found a pretty much fully functional sewing machine on the curb. That's when I learned how to sew, and have since repaired jeans, shirts, socks, and made little tote sacks as gifts out of old clothes. Once you learn a DIY skill it serves you for the rest of your life, saves you money, and helps the environment.

klipt 3y ago
That's great if it's your hobby but if I value my time at my current wage, darning socks is incredibly more expensive than just buying a pack of new ones. You just can't beat the efficiency of factory machines.
- shadowfoxx 3y ago
  My only problem with this logic is that you and I both know you aren't getting paid for the time you spend not at your job and that you don't spend all of your time in pursuit of work. I don't mean, "You don't get paid to brush your teeth" (But I am willing to bet you don't consider your hourly rate when you do an activity you are interested in or hanging out with your friends) but that you don't completely fill your day with money making activities. I think the logic here reframes the 'blame' off of you and onto something external. But its perfectly okay to say that the benefits the previous poster mentioned aren't worth more to you than the convenience + quality of just buying a new pair of socks. Because the truth of it is that darning your own socks costs almost nothing.
- throwawaaarrgh 3y ago
  I don't darn socks, I just sew the hole shut when one starts to form. You value your time? The next time you sit down to watch a TV show, pull out your travel sewing kit and the sock and sew as you watch. You'll be done way before the end of the episode, and you'll have gained value, not lost it.
  - peanutz454 3y ago
    Spent about 2 hours going to three stores and trying 7-8 pairs, standing in front of trial rooms, talking to cashiers about sizes in the system... before I got the right size and fit. Could have easily saved BOTH money AND time if only I knew how to patch them. They only tore near the crotch (I am suspecting planned obsolescence).
    - pfannkuchen 3y ago
      Your socks have a crotch?
      - peanutz454 3y ago
        LOL did not proof-read. I wrote Jeans originally, but I think edited it out while I was rephrasing for clarity :D
- rf15 3y ago
  We do not understand that we're living in excess, because we've been taught our entire life that this level of convenience is normal and good. Money can just solve everything, it's that easy, no downside. No sacrifice of value needs ever be made.
  - peanutz454 3y ago
    Exactly this... my time and money is more important than the cost to the planet. I earn enough to not care. Recycling is a scam. I do not even know what reduce and reuse mean! My car has a bumper sticker that says "SAVE THE PLANET", with the subtext "without impacting my lifestyle". /s
- 0xCMP 3y ago
  DIY isn't brought up to save money (that's a side benefit); it's to reduce impact by "reusing" or at least continuing to use.
turnsout 3y ago
I'm 100% with you, and I think you're setting an example in your community that has a positive ripple effect you could never calculate. It's also fulfilling in its own right. At the same time, we need to acknowledge that DIY making/repairing is a drop in the ocean when it comes to climate change. Industrial megapolluters would love for us to believe that it's our responsibility to save the world by sorting recycling and darning socks. Meanwhile, they're flattening 10,000 year old forests and setting goals to go plastic-free by 2070.

klipt 3y ago

That's great if it's your hobby but if I value my time at my current wage, darning socks is incredibly more expensive than just buying a pack of new ones. You just can't beat the efficiency of factory machines.

shadowfoxx 3y ago
My only problem with this logic is that you and I both know you aren't getting paid for the time you spend not at your job and that you don't spend all of your time in pursuit of work. I don't mean, "You don't get paid to brush your teeth" (But I am willing to bet you don't consider your hourly rate when you do an activity you are interested in or hanging out with your friends) but that you don't completely fill your day with money making activities. I think the logic here reframes the 'blame' off of you and onto something external. But its perfectly okay to say that the benefits the previous poster mentioned aren't worth more to you than the convenience + quality of just buying a new pair of socks. Because the truth of it is that darning your own socks costs almost nothing.
throwawaaarrgh 3y ago
I don't darn socks, I just sew the hole shut when one starts to form. You value your time? The next time you sit down to watch a TV show, pull out your travel sewing kit and the sock and sew as you watch. You'll be done way before the end of the episode, and you'll have gained value, not lost it.
- peanutz454 3y ago
  Spent about 2 hours going to three stores and trying 7-8 pairs, standing in front of trial rooms, talking to cashiers about sizes in the system... before I got the right size and fit. Could have easily saved BOTH money AND time if only I knew how to patch them. They only tore near the crotch (I am suspecting planned obsolescence).
  - pfannkuchen 3y ago
    Your socks have a crotch?
    - peanutz454 3y ago
      LOL did not proof-read. I wrote Jeans originally, but I think edited it out while I was rephrasing for clarity :D
rf15 3y ago
We do not understand that we're living in excess, because we've been taught our entire life that this level of convenience is normal and good. Money can just solve everything, it's that easy, no downside. No sacrifice of value needs ever be made.
- peanutz454 3y ago
  Exactly this... my time and money is more important than the cost to the planet. I earn enough to not care. Recycling is a scam. I do not even know what reduce and reuse mean! My car has a bumper sticker that says "SAVE THE PLANET", with the subtext "without impacting my lifestyle". /s
0xCMP 3y ago
DIY isn't brought up to save money (that's a side benefit); it's to reduce impact by "reusing" or at least continuing to use.

turnsout 3y ago

I'm 100% with you, and I think you're setting an example in your community that has a positive ripple effect you could never calculate. It's also fulfilling in its own right. At the same time, we need to acknowledge that DIY making/repairing is a drop in the ocean when it comes to climate change. Industrial megapolluters would love for us to believe that it's our responsibility to save the world by sorting recycling and darning socks. Meanwhile, they're flattening 10,000 year old forests and setting goals to go plastic-free by 2070.