The fundamental problem with the Scrappage Scheme.

The government’s scrappage scheme was originally lauded not only as a tonic for the car manufacturing industry, but also of environmental benefit.

Now I take issue with the environmental aspect.  Whilst there is no doubt an argument that more modern vehicles have less environmental impact to operate, the impact of producing new vehicles (not to mention shipping them, and prior to that their constituent components, around the world) would take years to balance out.

What needs to be done, not simply with cars but with all ‘products’ in the modern world, is to have machines that are designed with a much longer design life, and with interchangable components.

There has long been a belief that manufacturers of products such as kettles and toasters only make them to last a certain length of time, so as to have a continual demand for their products.  From a commercial point of view this is highly beneficial.

From an ethical point of view, it would be far better to produce products that last longer, and also that consist of replacable parts.

For example, if you buy a kettle, and the lid breaks, you wouldn’t think of replacing it, but would simply buy a new one.  However, if kettles cost £200 say, and replacement lids only cost £10 say and were replacable within 5 minutes with only basic tools, then this would far more likely be the preferred option.

Another improvement would be for all producers to have interchangable components, whilst products would have to be designed that components would be easily changable.

The problem is this would not be financially beneficial to manufacturers, and would rely on central government legislation.

Now, this does sound like some sort of communist ideal, and in some ways the principle of ‘make do and mend’ rather than ‘buy new’ reflects a retreat to post war attitudes, but is that a reflection of all that is wrong with our throw away society?

It is highly unlikely this would ever become even considered, but if we (as a global community) are to reduce carbon emissions, controversial decisions need to be made, which will severely affect the way we live our lives.

On a lighter note, my proposal for the ‘celebrity’ to front the publicity campaign would be Trigger from Only Fools and Horses.  His treasured broom, which over the years had 17 new heads and 14 new handles (no doubt of materials from renewable sources) epitimoses the ethos of this.