Lifestyle
Waste Is a Waste, but How Do You Know If a Purchase Will Last? 'When Updates Stop, an Appliance Works Less Well'
The most sustainable purchase is not always the one with the greenest label, as product lifespan significantly influences environmental impact through resource and energy use. Jelle Pothoven of Milieu Centraal notes that extending smartphone life by one year in the EU could save 2.1 million tons of CO2 emissions. Ruth Mugge, a professor at TU Delft, states that consumers are willing to pay more for durable goods if clearly indicated, suggesting a mandatory lifespan label similar to energy labels would help. Tim van Zuijlen, a lecturer at the University of Groningen, advises checking manufacturer promises and repair scores, which become mandatory in Europe from 2025. Consumers should also verify software update guarantees and ease of repair to ensure long-term usability and security.
Ozetta summarises; the reporting is the newsroom's