Resources management and society

While we might live in the 3rd millennium, use the technology of the 21st century and scour the globalized world, we are thinking just like in the beginning of the industrial age when it comes to the consumption and resources management.

More is better!

Is it? Really? Yes... if the problem is not enough goods. In times, where everything was made by hand struggling to make more, effectively, precisely and cheaply was the logical way. Machinery and automation were the big bang of the day.

But hey, time to wake up. We have production surplus on pretty much everything and effectivity flies among the skies. The dominant potato chips company in the Czech Republic has about 8 employees. It's good are everywhere in tons... The companies know that they can do more than people can use. But.. "More is Better!" So they are trying to make as much goods as they can for as cheaply as they can and spend millions on persuading and manipulating people that it is their stuff they should buy of all there is.

So they are selling supersized packs, design items to break after the warrant ends and make cool fashion items like tablets and smartphones so people get a new one every few years even though they have little use or difference between them.

In the past, having more was good because there was a tons of things people actually needed. More food meant less hunger, more variety. To get a new Dishwasher or Washing machine meant you wont have to do it by the hand anymore. This is still true for most people in the developing countries.

In the developed world, this part is over. We have goods, we know how to make them cheap, effective and in a short time. We can build our machines and stuff to last as well. It is time to stop wasting resources. You know, the things wars are waged for and people dies to get a hold of. In this new dynamic world.. it is time to welcome the most production cost efficient model:

Subscription is the new way!

While having your own dishwasher or washing machine makes sense, for some items, personal ownership is just plain waste. Do you want to see an example? Cars in the city. Having a car is a great thing when you live on a farm where closest anything is a few miles away. Not like you really have a choice there anyway. In the city though... cities are clogging with huge traffic, millions of cars roaming the world streets... in 90% of the cases transporting just one person in a 5 seat vehicle and just two times a day - to work and from it. Rest of the time it sits somewhere, "rusts" and takes up a space.

Cities don't have enough space to just waste it on parking. In this case, restricted car access and filling streets with cars from subscription based car companies would heavily reduced the parking problem, the effectivity of use problem and most likely even traffic problem as the cars could be made much smaller - making much more room for them in the streets - not to mention their power consumption. Like seriously, wth do you get an SUV when you drive 10 kilometers a day on basically an easy terrain and only thing transported is your butt.

It would mean never again to have troubles with parking - you come and take any car you want and leave it anywhere you want. The only thing you carry around is a card with your credit and driving permit. Make cars autonomous (thx. google) and centrally coordinated and you won't have a problem with traffic jams, or not having car available. Make those cars electric and charging stations solar powered and you got a 3rd mil. transport solution. I wouldn't mind if they were hover cars but you know, everything in time... (sniff)

On demand production!

Ok, so some things are just not worth owning. But how about those that can't go any other way? Well, instead of making 3,000,000 pieces of a T-shirt, selling it for 10 times it's manufacturing price and than throwing 3rd of them away and writing it off as a loss...  having a portfolio and manufacture on demand would save a lot of material. And all you need is a fast, global and reliable communication channel that is widely accessible (internet anyone).

So.. thanks for reading and, if you have an idea on what could be done more effectively (and it would be practical) - share it with me in the comment below!

How will this happen?

It is actually kind of easy. It is not about companies doing it, those are around already. It is about society. When having a car is not a symbol of wealth but just a necessity for a few people. When having everything you want available 24/7 anywhere is not a requirement. When having a new smartphone with a 14 new completely useless functions is cool... than we can work it out. First the mindset of the industrial age have to go. Than we can actually move somewhere. The people have to understand and grow up soon. Until then - companies will just work the way they did until now.