Planned Obsolescence
/ˌpland ˌäbsəˈlesəns/
noun
a policy of producing consumer goods that rapidly become obsolete and so require replacing, achieved by frequent changes in design, termination of the supply of spare parts, and the use of nondurable materials.
The Garfield Park Conservatory was designed by Jens Jensen. Constructed in 1907, the 4.5-acre greenhouse conservatory represents a unique collaboration of architects, engineers, landscape architects, sculptors, and artisans. In 1926, the Scheelea Palm came to the Garfield Park Conservatory as a seed collected on a field expedition.
November 20th, 1998, the International Space Station’s (ISS) first component was launched into space. The station promised, “quantum leaps in our research in science, communications, and in metals and lifesaving medicines.”
On March 4th, the Garfield Conservatory in Chicago removed three trees from their park. These trees were all touching the ceiling and the conservatory was concerned about them damaging the glass if left to continue to grow and wanted to allow more sunlight to reach the other plants.
The palm trees that were removed were cared for by conservatory staff for nearly a century. Yet, still, they met their end, one which was presumably anticipated when the seed was planted indoors.
In 2009, Michael Suffredini announced, “In the first quarter of 2016, we’ll prep and de-orbit the spacecraft.” At this time, the ISS was still under construction.
By 2014, the plan was for the U.S. to move out of the ISS but the station itself would survive at least until 2024.
What happens to the ISS after 2025 is yet to be decided.
Anticipating an unavoidable demise doesn’t mean no good will come.
Over 100,000 people have visited the Garfield Park Conservatory annually in recent years. Since it’s 1998 launch, the ISS has made over 100,000 trips around the earth and hosted over 550 astronauts.
Yeet or get yeeted dudes
