Dear editor:
I would like to address the value of shopping at thrift stores and purchasing refurbished electronics.
Shopping at thrift stores is one of my favorite things. I can revamp my wardrobe at a reasonable cost and know that I am not making a dent in the resources being removed from the planet. Have you ever stopped to think about all that "stuff" you have? Where does it come from? How does it come to be? Well of course they're made in factories, but even before that; have you ever thought about the raw materials needed to make those things?
Everything we see, touch, have, need, or want comes directly out of this planet. There is no other source, there is no other way. This one and only planet is the only supplier of our food, our clothing, our homes, our cars, and everything else. All items exist because raw materials are taken out of the planet. Another thing about these resourcesthey're limited. Unless we reduce our rate of consumption we will strip our planet dry. You've all heard that America has 5% of the world's population, yet consumes 30% of the world's resources. I don't know about you, but that's not a statistic I'm particularly proud of.
Nowelectronics. What's the deal with the world's obsession with electronics? Phone companies stop making batteries for cell phones one year after they stop manufacturing the phone, which forces customers to buy a whole new phone as opposed to a small battery. In addition, a study by UN University found " the construction of an average 24-kilogram computer and 27-centimetre monitor requires at least 240 kilograms of fossil fuel, 22 kilograms of chemicals and 1,500 kilograms of water or 1.8 tons in total, the equivalent of a rhinoceros or sports utility vehicle." ("Computer manufacturing soaks up fossil fuels, UN University study says," 2004, para. 2)
Does that seem like a lot to anyone else?
With that in mind, please consider a refurbished item for your next electronics purchase. It might be a small risk but do your research and make sure you purchase from a reputable source. In most cases refurbished electronics work as well for as long as new electronics; minus the consumption of a rhinoceros amount of raw materials.
Respectfully submitted,
Jean Gomory
Warren