The Culture of Disposability. Why do we buy new products instead of repairing them?
The Culture of Disposability. Why do we buy new products instead of repairing them?
The culture of disposability and our approach to objects
Just a few decades ago, objects were treated as things meant to serve for a long time. Household appliances, clothes, furniture or tools were repaired, maintained and adapted to changing needs. Items often accompanied people for many years, sometimes even for generations. Today, we are increasingly faced with a different choice: repair or throw away? In many situations, the answer appears almost automatically, because replacement seems easier, faster and seemingly more cost-effective. This is how the culture of disposability works, which has noticeably changed our relationship with objects and the way we perceive their value.
How did the culture of disposability come about?
The culture of disposability did not emerge suddenly or by accident. It is the result of several overlapping processes, such as mass production, market globalisation and the continuous reduction of manufacturing costs. Objects became easily accessible, and their price often stopped reflecting the real environmental and social costs incurred throughout their entire life cycle. At the same time, the pace of life clearly accelerated, and time became one of the most valuable currencies. Repair began to be seen as something troublesome and unnecessary, rather than as a natural stage of using objects.
The way product value is communicated has also changed. Marketing increasingly relies on narratives of novelty, innovation and constant change. Successive models differ from previous ones only in minor details, yet they effectively create the impression that what we already have is outdated. As a result, many fully functional objects end up in the bin not because they no longer work, but because a newer version has appeared.
Objects without a history
With the spread of the culture of disposability, our emotional relationship with objects has also changed. Items that once accompanied people for many years today often do not even manage to become part of everyday life. Before they gain any meaning, they are replaced by new ones. Disposability means that we stop building bonds with objects, and they themselves become anonymous and easily replaceable.
This also affects the way we take care of them. If something can be easily replaced, we devote less attention to maintenance, repairs or proper use. An object ceases to be something worth caring for and starts to be treated as a temporary element of everyday life, devoid of history and meaning.
Why has repair stopped being worthwhile
One of the key reasons why repair has ceased to be perceived as a sensible alternative to replacement is the growing complexity of modern devices. Today’s equipment is increasingly technologically advanced, consisting of many precise elements, electronic systems and components that are tightly integrated with one another. This means that even a minor fault may require interference with a large part of the device, making its removal time-consuming and expensive.
In many cases, this complexity does not result solely from technological progress. Increasingly, devices are designed in a way that deliberately makes independent or self-repair difficult. Sealed casings, permanently glued batteries, non-standard screws, lack of access to technical documentation or specialised diagnostic software mean that repair is only possible in authorised service centres or by highly specialised experts.
This design model causes users to lose real influence over the further life of their devices. Even minor repairs that could once be carried out independently or in a local service shop now require costly visits to authorised centres. As a result, the cost of repair quickly approaches the price of a new product, effectively discouraging users from extending the life of their equipment.
Additionally, manufacturers increasingly restrict access to original spare parts, while independent repair shops face limited access to tools and software updates. Even if repair is technically possible, the lack of compatible parts or the need for specialised calibration makes it unprofitable or even unrealistic.
As a result, repair ceases to be a natural stage in the use of an object and becomes an exception. It is not the lack of willingness on the part of users that drives frequent replacement of equipment, but systemic design barriers that make buying a new device simpler and cheaper. This mechanism reinforces the culture of disposability and deepens the distance between users and objects that were originally meant to serve for years.
The hidden costs of disposability
Every object thrown away after a short period of use carries a much greater cost than its small size or low price might suggest. Disposability causes the life cycle of items to be radically shortened, which in turn increases demand for additional raw materials, energy and water needed to produce new products. This is a process repeated on a massive scale, often outside users’ awareness, but with real consequences for the environment.
The production of each new object means returning to the very beginning of the entire chain. The extraction of natural resources, their processing, long-distance transport, assembly and distribution generate greenhouse gas emissions and lead to ecosystem degradation. When items are replaced faster than their actual level of wear would require, environmental pressure grows exponentially. Disposability therefore leads to excessive use of resources that are limited and often obtained under socially and environmentally problematic conditions.
The costs of disposability also include the growing volume of waste. Discarded objects rarely end up in effective recycling systems. Many complete their life cycle in landfills or incinerators, where they become sources of additional emissions and pollution. This is particularly true for electronics, which contain not only valuable raw materials but also substances harmful to the environment and human health. The shorter the usage time of devices, the faster the waste problem grows, overwhelming waste management systems.
Disposability also has a social and economic dimension. The environmental costs of production and disposal are dispersed and transferred to society as a whole rather than included in the product price. This means that seemingly cheap items are in reality expensive, because we collectively bear their true cost in the form of environmental pollution, loss of biodiversity and declining quality of life. Disposability thus creates an illusion of savings that proves unprofitable in the long run.
By discarding functional or repairable items, we also lose the potential for reuse, repair and local employment. Instead of supporting circular economy models and repair services, we fuel a system based on continuous production and consumption. This makes disposability not only an environmental issue, but also a challenge for sustainable development and responsible economic systems.
Do we always need to repair?
Not every object can be repaired, and not every repair makes sense. Sometimes a product is genuinely worn out, or its further use would be energy-inefficient or unsafe. The problem begins when replacement becomes an automatic response to any malfunction, even a minor one.
A conscious approach does not involve repairing everything unthinkingly, but rather asking whether an object really needs to be replaced. The very moment of stopping and reflecting on this choice is already a step towards changing how we think about objects.
Small decisions that change our relationship with objects
Changing the culture of disposability begins with small, everyday decisions. Repairing instead of replacing, buying more durable products, using second-hand items or supporting local repair services gradually rebuild our relationship with objects. Each such decision extends the life of an item and reduces pressure on the environment.
An important part of this change is also the recovery of skills. Learning basic repairs, using guides or participating in repair workshops makes objects less closed and incomprehensible. The user once again becomes an active participant rather than just a consumer.
The culture of disposability will not disappear overnight, but it can gradually give way to a more responsible approach. Repairing objects is not a step backwards in development, but a conscious choice that takes into account both user needs and environmental limits.
As One More Tree, we educate children, young people, seniors and employees on environmental issues, including how we can prevent the generation of additional electronic waste. We organise webinars, lectures and workshops. We encourage organisations to become interested in and organise ecology-related activities within their own structures.
Rebuilding our relationship with objects is not only an environmental issue. It is also a way to slow down, become more mindful and regain a sense of agency in everyday life. Every item that stays with us longer is a small step towards a world in which less truly means more.
