Consumer outraged by obnoxious trend taking over social media: 'It's ... not necessary'

Why buy a new phone when your old one works just fine?

For years, smartphone companies have marketed brand-new devices as essential tools for staying connected in the modern world. However, some consumers are saving money by sticking with their existing devices for as long as possible.

In a post on Reddit's r/Anticonsumption community, a user mocked a telecom company's ad that said, "Get a NEW PHONE EVERY YEAR." The user wrote, "You know what we need more of? E-WASTE, BABY!!"

The original post has since been deleted, but an archived version is preserved on the Wayback Machine.

Electronic devices require labor and energy to produce, and consistent demand for new phones contributes to the waste of economic resources. Instead of buying expensive new devices, people can save hundreds of dollars by choosing functional secondhand alternatives.

Plus, all the old devices don't just disappear from the planet. Less than a quarter of global e-waste gets recycled, according to the World Health Organization. If devices are improperly discarded, dangerous components like lead and mercury can contaminate the air, soil, and water surrounding e-waste disposal sites, the WHO noted.

If you happen to have old devices lying around, you can make some extra cash — and prevent them from winding up in landfills — by selling them back to retailers like Best Buy or Apple.

Commenters on the r/Anticonsumption post bemoaned having to ditch old devices that were no longer compatible with new software updates. 

"My last phone was 8 years old," one user wrote. "I only upgraded because I could no longer get software updates and as a result kept having important apps stop working because my iOS version wasn't supported anymore."

This is a prime example of planned obsolescence, a practice that entices people to buy new things by designing products that break quickly or are difficult to repair, promoting new trends to make old devices seem out of date, or implementing new operating systems that don't work on old products.

If you buy refurbished products, what's your primary motivation? Saving money 💰 Salvaging old stuff 🗑️ Helping the planet 🌎 I don't buy refurbished products 🚫 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

Other commenters shared their stories of trying to extend their devices' lifespan. 

"I tend to use things til they just don't work," one commenter said. "Upgrading every 6 months is foreign to me. It's such an over consumption habit and not necessary."

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