or How much more tat does the world need?
Personally, I’m making it a policy decision from now on not to purchase a product, if there is an alternative that does not come with a supplementary bit of tat. Take for example the free bags that are plastic-wrapped with women’s magazines. They are rubbish. How can any thinking woman allow such a piece of junk to influence her choice of magazine? [and frankly, why is she even buying Cosmo when she could read a nice book instead?]
Wandering around Woolies yesterday while Pete purchased videotapes, I was profoundly disturbed by the sheer quantity of utter shite that the world just doesn’t need. Fortunately The Observer kindly offers a weekly solution to the consumer guilt that affects me twice as much as it used to.
I liked their advice to refuse your next mobile phone upgrade, as mobile phone handsets have a ridiculously short lifespan, and get replaced long before they stop functioning. We also re-use supermarket carrier bags, instead of getting new ones with each shopping trip. What do you do?
February 21, 2005
Ethical Living
The problem with not upgrading your mobile phone, is that the pricing models are done with the expectation that you will, so that by not upgrading your phone you are costing yourself money and subsidising the people who do and making the mobile companies better off.
Either upgrade your phone and sell it on ebay, thereby making some money out of it, or get your cell company to give you 6 months free line rental instead.
I haven’t upgraded mine for two years, and I rarely spend more than
My last bill was about
I’m at a loss to see your logic, Sevitz.
Karen phones network and says I’m due an upgrade, but I don’t want one. Can I have 6 months free line rental instead.
They’ll probably say yes. If they say no, say fine, can I have this phone instead.
Get phone. Put new phone on ebay (if you are happy with your handset and don’t want a new one). New phone goes on ebay for
With one fatal flaw. When she phones the provider up, what they will most likely say is:
“You can have a free handset if you upgrade to one of our more fantastic
Right thats a fair point. I forgot about what happens when they change their tarrif schemes.
Pete’s right that they won’t give me an upgrade unless I take a more expensive tariff (thereby paying for my “free” upgrade) – however they did discount my
YAY. Stick to yer guns Karen!!
My mobile bill is around
You bill is
Probably best that I don’t comment on phone bills . . . ahem! As for carrier bags, I do try to re-use them. However, I also find they make wonderful energy saving insulation for the area behind the kitchen bin.
I find that accepting a bit of hypocrisy as an essential part of trying to live ethically helps to stop me going bonkers. Such as when getting stopped for speeding on a road that I spent over 6 months protesting against.
Gosh yes, if it was all about ethical living, I don’t think it would be much fun. I just like it when I find good things to do to compensate for all the bad things I do.