Worksheet

S3.1.1 Made for life

1.

Question 1

During the Second World War, the government conducted a campaign to encourage people to grow their own food. Even flowerbeds and parks were made available for this purpose! Why was there so much attention for this, do you think? How does a crisis affect society at the local level?

2.

Question 2

Why is the narrator of the story critical of the 21st-century idea of prosperity?

Do the terms 'prosperity' and 'progress' make sense in ecological terms? Why (not)? Devise a new definition that includes the ecological dimension.

3.

Question 3

With more and more knowledge and technological improvements, we have been making products that last shorter and shorter. Why are our products not smarter, sturdier and more efficient? Explain, using sources on the internet, how 'planned obsolescence' plays a major role in this.

In our age of consuming and throwing away, the production economy is no longer functional. What should be done to make the economy functional again? What role do you think producers, products and consumers have in this transition?

4.

Question 4

Addy lived between the 1920s and the 21st century. Her children and grandchildren grew up in a very different world from her own. Let’s explore your life compared to your ancestors’. What was different in your parents’ lives when they grew up? And in their parents’ lives?

5.

Question 5

In the past, used and worn clothes, shoes and things were patched up. Have you ever tried to repair something?

Maybe you have heard of Repair Cafés: What are these places? Is there a Repair Café in your neighbourhood? What would you like to repair there (or learn how to!)?

6.

Information

Longest Burning Light Bulb, Guinness World Records.

Planned Obsolescence and its Impact on the Environment, Adrian Fontao (2022).

Documentary

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