In the opening moments of the new Web video “The Story of Electronics,” I found myself nodding in recognition as host Annie Leonard held up a tangled mess of electronic gadget chargers. Lurking in my basement at home is a similar monstrosity of unused chargers that has grown ever larger as various devices have come and gone.
But I hadn’t given that sad collection of neglected wires much thought until Leonard pointed out something that should have been obvious. That clump of wires is no accident; it’s intentional. It’s emblematic of the wasteful mentality that drives the electronics industry to design products to quickly become obsolete. (via O’Brien: New ‘Story of Stuff’ video reminds us to think twice before buying new gadgets - San Jose Mercury News
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