Possible topics for "the big paper"

Possible topics for my paper and sources:
1. I wanted to talk about something with the campus going green. I think it would be cool to see what other campuses are doing and what small things UF can do; how it will help our campus grow and be better to our environment; Something I can include would be this Thursday’s speech with Oberlin.

2. I am interested in technology obsolescence. Doing research on what little things actually change in a product to make an advertiser say “All new, nothing like this product!” Technology is growing fast; I want to know what the future is like. What current products now will be obsolete?

3. I’m also interested in fashion obsolete. I think this topic will be fun for me since I’m interested in fashion in general. I would look at the history of fashion and see what is out of date now, what’s currently fashionable and what the future may be like. I’m interested in researching what the short video had said about fat heels and skinny heels changing each year to get us to buy something new. What brings back fashions from the past- flare jeans, skinny jeans, 80’s colors, hair styles… and who decides what’s “in?” Along with the technology topic- what little things have actually changed in a product that makes the previous product not fashionable anymore? Planned obsolescence is definitely a case here because how clothes are made says a lot. I store that makes their clothes cheaply is purposely making you come in and buy more clothes when they tear. Prices are an issue- those cheaply made clothes generally aren’t a bad price, so shoppers don’t realize that they’re being scammed. I want to know why stores then can do the opposite- charge us a butt load of money for one t-shirt. I’m thinking of Hollister. These clothes seem to be in fashion, but they cost so much money and they are little material (atleast for girls). Why do we spend this much money just to stay in fashion? I guess because companies can because they know we like their clothes. Why not go to a different store with similar clothes for a cheaper price. This brings in the topic of branding….

4. I’m not too familiar with the topic of global warming. It may be interesting for me to research about what little things we can do as a country to delay the effects of global warming. My first topic ties into global warming. I don’t really know what an argument would able this other than if we don’t do something now, global warming will hit us fast and hard and we won’t be ready. I’d research about global warming first to get more points down and to come up with a question or an argument.

For now, I’m choosing to research about fashion obsolescence.
I found sources such as in Time magazine:
-An article titled “The look of the new” is a small article, but mentions planned obsolescence.
-An article in Time, “Buyers swing to quality” talks about how we’re now paying attention to quality of products that will last us a longer time that may cost more money now, than paying attention to a product that is priced cheap and made cheap that probably won’t last as long. This ties into my topic by the pricing of a shirt and the quality of the fabric and how it was made. Instead of buying something because it’s “in,” look at the t-shirt in a different way before you buy it.

Something that brings up what changes when and who decides brings up this article:
-“Unpredictable weather 'means seasonal fashion is now obsolete'” from the bnet business network. This talks about how unpredictable weather isn’t letting us get specific clothes anymore for each season. It mentions how “the whole fashion industry will have to change…”

From Lexis Nexis:
-I found a list of articles when searching under “obsolescence.” I’m going to not only search under “fashion obsolescence” but tie in the first search of the general topic with my specific topic.