On circularity, beauty and solving the cost of convenience
I think about the cost of convenience a lot. We’re so hung up on things being quick, accessible and easy that we forget that there’s a cost associated with it. For example, two of my bugbears – getting hooked on free media consumption means we’re now slaves to Mark Zuckerberg and his ilk, and the obsession with a cashless society is a burden for older people who can’t keep up with technology and miss the human interaction of bank counters and supermarket checkouts. (Not to mention the simple fact that cashless culture means you spend more.) And then there’s a third – the environmental cost of our disposable culture.
The good news is there’s finally some progress being made in the field of packaging. We still want the convenience that comes with disposable goods but we’re not changing our behaviour fast enough for recycling to make a significant difference. (more…)