Dear Colleagues,

The Network on Product Life Spans is pleased to announce that our final 
EPSRC seminar, "The Throwaway Society: Origins, Causes and Consequences", 
will be held from 10.30am-5.00pm on Tuesday 18th March at Sheffield Hallam 
University. 

A range of leading international thinkers from different academic 
traditions and backgrounds have agreed to speak at this important event, 
including:

- Professor Jonathan Woodham, design historian at the University of 
Brighton, who will consider how designers have reacted to planned 
obsolescence over the years and the extent to which they are culpable in 
our throwaway culture.

- Economics expert Professor Michael Waldman of the Johnson Graduate 
School of Management at Cornell University, USA, who will analyze some of 
the market influences on planned obsolescence. 

- Sustainable Design Researcher Nicole van Nes, whose PhD at Erasmus 
University, Rotterdam, investigated product lifetimes, and who will 
explore why consumers feel under pressure to replace functional products.

- Dr. Tim Cooper, Head of the Centre for Sustainable Consumption at 
Sheffield Hallam University, who will summarize and assess recent 
developments in policy and research relating to product life-spans.

This seminar promises to bring an excellent conclusion to a series of 
successful EPSRC-funded events held over the past three years. As we are 
anticipating that it will be fully subscribed we strongly advise you to 
book as soon as possible. Places will be reserved on a first come, first 
served basis. The seminar is free of charge and includes lunch and 
refreshments. Places may be booked on the website 
http://extra.shu.ac.uk/productlife/seminar_05.html, which also provides 
details for claiming travel expenses and a list of hotels in Sheffield.

The future of the Network on Product Life Spans is the subject of an open 
meeting on the afternoon preceding the seminar, Monday 17th March. If you 
have attended past events or signified interest in the work of the Network 
please join us. The aim of the meeting is to enable participants to 
discuss what, if any, future activities and events the Network should 
organize. It will take place from 3.00pm-5.00pm and you can book a place 
on the booking form. 

We plan to arrange a meal at a local Italian restaurant on the Monday 
evening (at participants' own expense). Again, please signify on the 
booking form if you would like to join us.

For further information please contact

Kenisha Garnett
Research Co-ordinator
Centre for Sustainable Consumption
Telephone: +44 (0) 114 225 4582
CSC website: http://research.shu.ac.uk/csc/index.html
Network website: http://extra.shu.ac.uk/productlife/

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