Use and reuse: the real zero effect economy

Narendra Modi has a knack for coining catchy slogans. ‘Zero effect’ is probably Modi’s first direct reference to the need to make things without causing environmental harm. That would not only mean producing with ‘zero effect’ but also consuming with little or no damage to the environment or waste of finite resources. And even high-end luxe brands have adopted the practice: A.P.C., a French brand known for its understated but fashionable jeans, takes back used pairs from consumers, repairs them if necessary, and sells them under what is branded a ‘butler service’ for which it actually is able to charge a price higher than the original price of the new pair! In India too there are examples: Maruti’s TrueValue service, which reconditions old vehicles, sells 300,000 pre-used cars a year, more than the total sales of new cars of many of its competitors; and the emergence of e-commerce sites has helped people sell all kinds of used stuff, which other people can buy and use.