🚀 go-pugleaf

Do what I did, Alan. Get out of the trade. It is a difficult,
frustrating, underpaid job and everyone thinks you're trying to rip them
off.

You won't change the world, only get a flat spot on your head where
you've been hitting it against the brick wall,

cheers,
Ian.

Alan Liefting wrote:
> 
> As an electronics technician with a concern for the environment I have
> seen another worrying trend.  In recent months I have seen the
> following:
> 
> 1. A manufacturer has located its spare parts warehouse to Australia.
> 
> 2. Another manufacturer has sent out a directive to minimise local
> stocks of spare parts and only give a good level of support for warranty
> service.
> 
> 3. The use of contract warehousing for spare parts instead of keeping it
> in-house (this introduces difficulties in administration and technical
> backup for the repair trade).
> 
> 4. Proprietary components are priced at a such level as to make repairs
> outside of an appliances warranty to be uneconomic.
> 
> These factors combine to make consumer goods an increasing part of our
> "throw away society".  This has implications on attempts to minimise the
> waste stream.  Electronic equipment contains valuable and hazardous
> materials.  Unfortunately these materials are difficult to extract
> economically in New Zealand.  Electronic circuit boards are sent
> offshore to countries with cheaper labour rates as scrap.
> 
> Another issue arising from the third point made above is that
> manufacturers are defying the "spirit" of the Fair Trading Act.  Under
> the Fair Trading Act manufacturers or importers must supply spare parts
> for "a reasonable length of time".  This is very open to interpretation
> does not suggest that spare parts must be at a "reasonable" price.
> 
> Can I suggest that legislation is enacted to protect the consumer and
> the environment by making electronic and computer equipment
> manufacturers more responsible for their actions.  Overseas experience
> has shown that manufacturers will rarely voluntarily factor
> environmental or social ethics into their business models.

-- 


Oh well. Back to my mud hut.