121–130 of 336 posts
Correct me if I am wrong, but under ISDS rules (a la TPP/TTIP), companies could now sue Sweden for potential lost profits as a result of this legislation, right? (Assuming Sweden is signed onto an ISDS treaty, which it probably is not).
Correct me if I am wrong, but under ISDS rules (a la TPP/TTIP), companies could now sue Sweden for potential lost profits as a result of this legislation, right? (Assuming Sweden is signed onto an ISDS treaty, which it probably is not).
Earlier quoted context omitted.
There's something profoundly wrong when it makes sense to us to extract oil from the ground in the Middle East, ship it to India, convert it into polymer, ship it to China, mould it into knives and forks, ship it to the West, use it once, and then bury it forever underground (or expend energy to smelt it down into lower grade polymer for use in something that will end up in the ground), all to avoid rinsing some meta…
Not disagreeing with you, but this system does employ a lot of people in the Middle East, India, China, and the West.
Or, you know, pay them to wash reusable silverware.
I was happy to see that the author did pause to note the irony of this policy being implemented by the same country that brought the world IKEA.
Besides the category error of conflating corporate and state implementations - complaining about the existence of IKEA is a bit like complaining about the existence of fast food. Clearly there is massive demand for both, so lobbing darts at the most successful producers of same avoids all of the interesting questions.
This idea seems so sensible it's a no-brainer. (I'm almost dreading the comments explaining why I'm wrong!) The human race is producing unprecedented quantities of non-recyclable "stuff". It's pumped out of the ground as oil, converted into plastics, and after a short life, buried in the ground again. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad if much of it didn't also end up floating in the ocean, being eaten by animals and cont…
If you do the math, it can be seen that a large enough software company, with a strong enough anti-recycling ("upgrade") program, could be responsible for more toxic chemicals being wasted compared to the chemcal waste from companies like Dow and DuPont.
The most straightforward solution would be a deposit covering the eventual disposal cost of products, which would then be refunded as the product was responsibly recycled (similar to aluminum cans in some parts of the US), but of course I don't expect to see anything like that in my lifetime. Much easier to pay lobbyists to allow you to continue externalizing your costs on the public.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
If the channel for the rubber gasket is still there, you could. The old way was a rubber gasket (think "gigantic O-ring") and screws. The new model's plastic welding obviated the need for the gasket, but I bet the provision is still there if the screw bosses are still there. Also, if you're tackling this repair, it's wise to make sure you can get the old bearings off the "spider" and that the spider isn't cracked fro…
Silicone sealant, the "universal gasket", should also work to seal the joint, as the tub is not under high pressure.
This idea seems so sensible it's a no-brainer. (I'm almost dreading the comments explaining why I'm wrong!) The human race is producing unprecedented quantities of non-recyclable "stuff". It's pumped out of the ground as oil, converted into plastics, and after a short life, buried in the ground again. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad if much of it didn't also end up floating in the ocean, being eaten by animals and cont…
The idea is great. The problems will be with the implementation, how it will change incentives, any loopholes introduced, cost of enforcement and unintended consequences. What exactly is a repair? Are parts covered, or only labour? Think ship of Theseus. Is an upgrade a repair, can I put a better compressor, rather than like-for-like in my refrigerator when it's failed? Can I have my TV repaired by replacing all the…
If you don't have a top of the range, almost new fridge or TV, even phone, repair will almost always come close to replacement cost. And replacement give you back a 2 years guarantee with faster turnaround.
This is a very nice move to see. Other people have discussed washing machines below, but there's even more to say on them. Washing machines used to have long warranty periods. Nowadays they tend to be sold with a 2 year warranty, which I believe in the EU is the required minimum. And these manufacturers (Bosch, for example) even have the gall to claim that their products are high quality and that this warranty period…