WHAT we waste has rarely been a bigger issue. In business and at home, everything from energy to food is coming under the scrutiny of those driving conservation and related green issues.
That’s why we're seeing the time-honoured carrot and stick technique being increasingly applied by our political leaders.
A tax on landfill is an example. It’s a function of this policy that is driving local authorities to invest so heavily in extra wheelie bins for all of us to segregate our waste at source and assist recycling.
Similarly, road tax concessions for cars that guzzle less gas are now established, and we've recently seen the cash for old bangers scheme hurried onto the agenda albeit with a slightly stalling start. Its aims are twofold, of course – to get older, less energy efficient cars off our roads and to inject a stimulus to the struggling motor manufacturing sector. Jury's out here.
What was earlier dubbed the consumer society has become almost reckless in the way it wastes so much. This week comes news of a breakthrough that may appear of minor significance on the surface, but is likely to have quite an impact.
The world’s biggest mobile phone makers and network operators have backed plans to create a universal phone recharger. Most manufacturers now produce chargers which work only with their own devices.
The re-charger will consume 50% less stand-by energy than today's models, the GSM Association (GSMA), an umbrella group for the industry, said.
Firms to back the plan include Nokia, Motorola, Samsung, Sony Ericsson, LG, T-Mobile, Orange, 3, AT&T and Vodafone.
The majority of new handsets will support the re-charger by 2012. So, stand by for the introduction of collection bins to scoop up discarded old chargers. More waste – unless a carbon neutral way can be found to recycle them.
Charger format is not the only example of where commercial drivers have generated waste on a massive scale. How many of us fell between Beta and VHS video format in the pioneering days of domestic recording machines?
It’s amazing how far a little common sense will go in such matters. It’s more surprising it take so long for those wasting so much to hear that particular penny drop.
MATT JOHNSON is chairman of Mando Group.
