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WorksheetsPyramids of Waste (The Light Bulb Conspiracy)
Total questions: 35
Worksheet time: 35mins
The term ‘obsolescence’ means...
the process of becoming not easily understood or not clearly expressed
the process of becoming dissolved to produce a homogeneous mixture
the process of becoming relevant to modern society, the present or recent times
the process of becoming outdated, no longer used or obsolete
Planned obsolescence is the business strategy used by the ____________ in which a product is planned to become unfashionable or no longer usable.
manufacturer
customer
advertiser
government
Planned obsolescence is done so that, in the future, the consumer feels a need to ________________ that the manufacturer brings out.
recycle pre-loved products
purchase new products
repair old products
try a competitor’s product
Planned obsolescence encourages consumers to purchase (a) products as replacements for the old ones.
When the presenter in the documentary went to the IT store asking for a quote to fix his printer, he is told "it’s best to buy a new one". Why was he told this?
The guy behind the counter didn’t know how to fix the printer
It was cooler to buy a new one than have his old one repaired
It was quicker to buy a new one than have his old one repaired
It was cheaper to buy a new one than have his old one repaired
The term ‘planned’ means…
affected with mental pain
decided on in advance
designed or made a plan for
lying completely flat across pretty much anything in an urban setting
Where is the world's longest-lasting light bulb?
Liverpool, England
Los Angeles, California
Livermore, California
London, England
The Centennial Light is the world's longest-lasting light bulb, burning since the year…
(a)
Thomas Edison’s first commercial light bulb produced in 1881 lasted ____ hours.
1,000
1,500
2,000
2,500
In 1924, at the time the Phoebus Cartel started, light bulbs were advertised to last up to ____ hours and manufacturers proudly stressed the longevity of the bulbs.
1000
1,500
2,000
2,500
The Phoebus Cartel together controlled the production of light bulbs. They made sure the lifespan of light bulbs _______, guaranteed for up to 1000 hours.
increased
became random
decreased
stayed the same
The presenter with the broken printer speaks to a Youtuber over Skype. The Youtuber claims that ‘technology is designed to ____’.
last
fail
improve our lives
ruin our lives
Bernard London believed that the benefit of planned obsolescence was that it meant businesses ____ producing products, people ____ purchasing products, and this ____ everyone in jobs
kept
kept
kept
stopped
stopped
stopped
started
started
started
changed
changed
changed
Planned obsolescence can be created by forcing the public to purchase more products
when manufacturers intentionally make items more fragile than before
when manufacturers make items that need replacing more often than before
when manufacturers make items better and stronger than before
when manufacturers make newer and more advanced products than before
Aside from making products that are 'designed to fail', planned obsolescence can also be created by making customers...
desire something newer than currently owned
desire something new sooner than necessary
products designed to fail earlier than before
hungrier than ever than before
Designers and marketers seduced consumers into purchasing the ______ items of their own free will
newest
oldest
most fragile
most robust
Planned obsolescence is known nowadays as 'the product (a) -cycle'
We have a growth logic. Serge Latouche states in the documentary that 'we are sitting in a car that no longer has a driver running at full speed that will end up crashing into a wall or running off a cliff'. This is an example of...
a simile
a metaphor
personification
hyperbole
A chemist creates an everlasting thread in the film...
The man in the white suit
The man in the black suit
The man in the grey suit
The man in the space suit
A new material was invented for use in stockings. It was a strong form of (a) . The stockings lasted too long, which was bad for business. The fibres needed to be made to not last so long by the chemists.
A new material was invented for use in stockings. It was a strong form of nylon. The stockings lasted too long, which was bad for (a) . The fibres needed to be made to not last so long by the chemists.
A new material was invented for use in stockings. It was a strong form of nylon. The stockings lasted too long, which was bad for business. The fibres needed to be made to not last so long by the (a) .
In one of the most efficient Communist countries, former East Germany, resources were scarce. Planned obsolescence did not make sense. Fridges and washing machines were legally required to last for at least (a) years.
In one of the most efficient Communist countries, former East Germany, resources were scarce. Planned obsolescence did not make sense. _______ and _______________ were legally required to last for at least 25 years.
Fridges
washing machines
Dryers
light bulbs
"We couldn't replace the battery. When the battery died. I called (a) who told their customers to buy a new iPod. My brother and I made a movie about it and put it on our site."
E-waste is often shipped to third world countries such as (a) . Companies declare the waste is 'second hand goods' rather than 'waste' because shipping electronic waste is illegal.
E-waste is often shipped to third world countries such as Ghana. Companies declare the waste is 'second hand goods' rather than ' (a) ' because shipping electronic waste is illegal.
E-waste is often shipped to third world countries such as Ghana. Companies declare the waste is 'second hand goods' rather than 'waste' because shipping electronic waste is (a) .
E-waste is often shipped to third world countries such as Ghana. Companies declare the waste is '_________________' rather than 'waste' because shipping electronic waste is illegal.
second hand goods
still good
5 second rulegoods
e-waste
In poorer countries, people fix their broken products. In (a) , the word 'judaad' actually describes the tradition to fix broken products, no matter how hard it is to fix the problem.
In poorer countries, people fix their broken products. In India, the word '______' actually describes the tradition to fix broken products, no matter how hard it is to fix the problem.
judaad
fixit
muramata
India
'Nature produces no waste, only _________'
nutrients
medicine
e-waste
compost
'________' or 'anti-growth' is the term used to describe the solution to our over consumption - getting out of our growth-based society and reducing our environmental footprint'
De-growth
Re-growth
Un-growth
Growlithe
When Marcos installs the Russian freeware on his computer at the end of the documentary, this software...
allows the printer to print
allows the printer counter to reset
allows the printer to be free of the virus
allows the printer to photocopy
The documentary states that if the Livermore light bulb had a father, it would have to be Professor _____________________, the inventor of the improved bulb filament.
Adolphe Chaillet
Thomas Edison
René Laennec
Marcel Marceau
