been thinking about this a lot lately...
the consumer's wishes drive how things are marketed, packaged and sold. Trends are visible, and it doesn't take a whole lot of time to see them. I remember when I was in 7th grade...you began hearing about "the environment." all of a sudden, it was evil to use disposable diapers...they never decompose. then, there was too much styrofoam packaging...most fast food places, esp mcdonalds, switched from their old styrofoam packaging to paper wrappers and boxes. everything, from fabric softener to tuna fish, tried to reduce the level of materials used in their packaging. things became "ultra" and packages were made from so much % "post consumer waste." all that meant was it was made out of stuff that was recycled. Earth day, which has been around since the 60's, was suddenly a big deal. it even got a network special with Bette Midler playing an ill and fallen mother earth, and all the casts of the popular shows at that time making appearances. the market was being driven by the consumers want to help the ENVIRONMENT,in all it's ambiguity. cars got smaller, "diaper services" became popular with the UMC parents, they bring you a weeks worth of clean diapers and take the last weeks dirty ones away to wash them. never mind that this used gas, and industrial laundry facilities pollute the water, you weren't using disposables, so you were helping. The fabric softener refills that you used to add water to became "ultra concentrated." they were the same thing, but now cost a little more because you were helping the ENVIRONMENT by using it.
then, the owners and operators of all these major companies began to notice something...they weren't making enough money!!! people were reducing! people were reusing!! people were recycling!! OOOOOHHHHH NOOOO!!! what shall happen to the bottom line? The marketing execs had to come up with a plan....what can we do to get the average consumer (the middle class famliy, and especially the females cause they usually do the shopping..send men out to do the shopping they come back with one box of tampons anad ten sleeves of cookies...) How can we get them to not care so much about the environment and start buying disposable styrofoam plates again???
I know!
GERMS!!!!
all of a sudden you couldn't reuse that sponge or that dishrag, cause never mind how many trees you are killing...your family is going to get sick if you use that. so then there was a slow influx...first it was just "anti bacterial" soap. I don't think there is such a thing in this world as a soap that isn't antibactreial, but let's give it a strong antiseptic odor so you'll know you're saving your family!!! then it was anti bacterial dish liquid,except if you read the fine print, it is just anti bac on hands ha ha fooled ya antibacterial hand stuff, sprays, lotions, highchair tops...then from the anti-bacterial there came the movement back toward disposable stuff. now we can "throw the germs away" I admit I'm one who does it. I love my swiffer. it's just funny how consumers are driven by marketing to do what the advertisers want us to do. after all, these germs are not a new thing. we haven't been living in a sealed bubble. I would be interested to see if there has been a significant decrease in "germ realted" illnesses, like the common cold and the shits, since this change to anti germ throw it away crud. even the move toward hybrid vehicles is not for the environment, but so the consumer can save money on gas. we have had the technology for a long time.
cars are another thing. we have made the move since the early 90's to the larger "family car." this is usually a van or a large SUV. let's take a dip in the waters of conspiracy paranoia....
car seats for children are mandatory
they are huge
if you have more than one child you pretty much have to have a larege car such as a van, big wagon, or SUV in order to fit all of your car seats. the days of three in the backseat are over.
who is driving whom?
well anyway thought I'd take a trun from whining.
still fat