Waste and the Wasters Who Make It: A Quiet Crisis

"The problem starts with the software and systems engineers."

In the context of computer technology, yes, and we can zoom out to include our tendency to ignore long-term consequences in exchange for short-term gains. We're all in this together, and solutions will need to spin up at all levels, from personal & family decisions to government regulation and intergovernmental agreements that have teeth.

It takes guts to stand up Anna say "I don't need to upgrade my gaming computer this year". It takes guts to decide not to upgrade the company laptops because Windows 11 says you have to, and instead use Linux, perhaps even paying for the personal support from established companies that provide such service. Perhaps if we agreed on regulations that let us ease off the accelerator a bit we could ensure future generations get a chance to play in this sandbox, too.