2009: Did Consumers Waste Less?
It seems the recession has done more than make us more conscious consumers who take pride in thrift and crafty reuse ideas. Like our spending, our waste output may be decreasing as well.
The Huffington Post recently covered an overview of predictions for 2009 and analyzed if they came true. One of the predictions, that Americans would seek lifestyles with lighter environmental footprints, may have been correct.
When was the last time you took your things apart when they weren't running right? Photo: Flickr/Brian Auer
Even as early as March of 2009, landfills reported decreased intake levels by as much as 30 percent. “People aren’t buying new,” Tom Smith, solid waste program manager for Prince William County, VA, told the Washington Post. “They’re making do with what they have.”
With people buying less during the recession, less waste from materials like packaging – typically almost one-third our our trash.
And just like the concept of ditching disposables for more durable goods, the trends appear to say that people in 2009 held onto their items longer and repaired them more.
In fact, a report released this summer by AAMCO and Clarus Research Group found that 63 percent of car owners surveyed were planning on delaying the purchase of a new car, but also upping repairs and maintenance to save money. According to AAMCO, consumers will be driving their vehicles “longer than ever.”
If you’re not a whiz with the screwdriver or spark plugs, that’s not a problem. There are fantastic resources around the Web that house easy how-to guides that explain general home repair like the Fix-it Club. It has hundreds of free guides that can help you repair anything from an amplifier or car radio to your electric cooktop stove and curling iron.
