Earlier this week, my husband found a box of old film negatives in the basement. This prompted a discussion about Kodak, a company that was once a household name that has disappeared from our lives. It also made me consider products that may soon disappear thanks to changing consumer tastes.

Welcome to the 97^th edition of The Sunday Spark, a series with weekly thoughts and highlights, nuggets of learning, and a simple living challenge for the week. Along with products that may soon disappear, this week’s edition looks at three promising environmental innovations, and simplifying life with a daily priority list.

On my mind this week: Products that may soon disappear

Earlier this week, while cleaning up the basement, my husband found a box of old film negatives. This prompted a discussion about Kodak, and how a giant corporation that was once a household name disappeared because it failed to adapt to changing technology and consumer tastes. (Read my Clutter Tale, Let’s revive printed photos for a trip down memory lane inspired by a previous discovery of film negatives.)

When I signed on to my laptop the next day, the headline Products Declining Because Millennials Won’t Buy Them caught my eye. My curiosity about products that may soon disappear got the better of me, so I had to check it out.

There were no real surprises in the article. I can’t argue with the trend of saying no to landlines, print magazines, chemical-filled products, manual transmission cars, disposable razors, luxury cars, and physical books. And while my family still subscribes to cable TV, and buys lottery tickets, I can understand their lack of relevance to younger generations.

On the other hand, I was a bit puzzled by the inclusion of soap bars, life insurance, greeting cards, and doorbells on the list. In my mind, these products serve a purpose and will endure.

But there was one thing on the list that made me pump my fist with a resounding “YES!” … Irons!

Can we make every iron in the world disappear…NOW?

I hate ironing, and I avoid it like the plague. I won’t buy any clothing that looks like it needs to be ironed. And while I do own an iron and an ironing board, I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve used them in the last five years. (Hint: There was usually a man’s dress shirt, and a wedding or funeral involved.)

Thinking about ironing always takes me back to 2014, when I visited my sister Angela in England. It was an unusually hot summer by Lancashire standards. On one blistering hot day, Angela called me over to her window. The neighbour in the house behind hers, was outside ironing on her back porch, in the hot sun.

My sister, who faithfully irons everything from sheets to jeans to linen napkins, said, “That’s commitment.” I laughed and responded, “That wasn’t the word I had in mind.” 

I’ve often wondered about the British obsession with ironing. Is it a cultural norm that has stood the test of time? Or have younger generations of Brits seen the light and shunned their irons?

Personally, I won’t shed any tears when the last of the irons and ironing boards find their way into museums. And I cheer on the millennials as they seek to hasten the demise of a product we can all live without. Because seriously, life is too short to spend it ironing.

If you had a magic wand, what product would you love to make disappear? Drop me a comment below and let me know.

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Three highlights of the week

It’s important to celebrate big milestones and simple pleasures in life. Keeping the trend going, here are three highlights and simple pleasures of the week gone by:

• My husband has been sorting through his boxes that have been sitting unopened in the basement for 30 years. He found a box of old stuff that I must have hastily pack from the desk in my apartment when we moved. It contained old coins, the film negatives I mentioned earlier, and some old photos that brought back happy memories.
• On Thursday, we had a meeting with those who have volunteered to help run this year’s Alpha course at my church. I’m looking forward to being more involved this year.
• On Friday, my husband and I took advantage of milder temperatures to get out for a longer walk. Good thing because the Polar Vortex that’s on the way this week may limit our outdoor time.

Things I learned this week

With so much bleak environmental (and other) news making headlines, it’s easy to overlook the good things that are happening around the world. This week, I decided to focus my learnings on innovations that show promise in the fight to save the Earth.

Upcycling old tires to produce clean water

Researchers at Canada’s Dalhousie University in Halifax have developed an innovative solar desalination device using recycled tires. This new device shows promise in addressing tire waste while providing access to clean water in many areas around the world.

Initial testing in the Atlantic Ocean near Halifax Harbour showed promising results, and further testing is planned for next summer in south Asia.

(Source: Happy Eco News)

Researchers develop a solvent to remove nanoplastics from water

Currently about 3% of all plastic produced globally ends up in the ocean, with significant implications for marine life and human health.

Researchers at the University of Missouri in the United States have developed a new solvent mixture that could reduce 98% of nanoplastics from water. Further study is required, but this shows promise in addressing a significant environmental challenge.

(Source: Happy Eco News)

Tacking climate change and affordable housing with tiny off-grid homes

Tiny homes are a potential solution to the social problems of homelessness and affordable housing.

A group of environmental engineering students at Vancouver’s University of British Columbia are working on a prototype of an “off-grid” tiny home. Solar panels, a small wind turbine and battery storage provide power. And a rainwater collection filtration and storage system supplies water.

(Source: CBC What on Earth)

This week’s simple living challenge – Make a daily priority list

Simplifying life is a big part of living more intentionally. With that in mind, I kicked off the year with 52 ways to simplify your life this year, including a downloadable checklist of weekly tasks.

This week’s challenge is to improve focus and productivity by making a daily priority list at the start of each day. The key is to resist the temptation to make the list too long. Ticking off just two or three items will give you a sense of accomplishment.

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I’d love to hear what you think about any of this week’s topics. Drop me a comment below and let me know your thoughts and ideas of products you’d like to make disappear!