Our obsession for owning new, damage-free devices means a plethora of us throwing away
out-of-date and broken devices.
When the gadgets end up in landfills, they become a nuclear danger for the environment,
wildlife, and the planet in general.
An example: Apple hopes to sell millions of iPhone 7 and Plus units in 2017.
It means that potentially millions of older iPhones (iPhone 3GS, 4, 4S, etc.) are headed for
landfills due to the introduction of the latest model.
These old gadgets contain hazardous chemicals and minerals that damage the environment,
like lead, nickel, mercury, PCB, phthalates, chlorine, and cadmium.
And that’s just the harmful impact of retired devices.
Consider the new devices people throw away because of physical damage.
The demand for replacements means more manufacturing, which in turn means that more
plastic and metal debris, laced with chemicals, will spread into groundwater and landfills.
And even if the concerned authority in your nation decides to recycle the waste instead of
dumping it away, some materials (e.g. plastic) aren’t easy to recycle.
The end result, therefore, would be the disruption of natural habitat and adverse impact
on species health.
“When the gadgets end up in landfills,
they become a nuclear danger for
the environment, wildlife, and
the planet in general.”
Tips for Gadget Owners to Reduce Environmental Degradation
Device owners can take the following measures to reduce the harm caused to the environment.
1. Protect Current Devices to Avoid Replacements
Owners of Macs, iPhones, Lenovo laptops, etc. can avoid device damage with screen protectors
and strong covers.
BodyGuardz for Apple gadgets and other similar options for Windows and Android gadgets offer
latest technologies to protect hardware.
For instance, unequal shock cases for iPhones include a soft-TPU construction along with the
same shock absorbing technology that professional athletes use for impact resistance.
Moreover, top notch vendors use custom designs to offer protection and style simultaneously.
2. Sell Old Devices Instead Of Throwing Them Away
Planning to throw away that old iPhone 4?
Stop right there because better options exist.
You can just sell that handset and get some cash in return.
Sites like Gazelle allow you to do that.
Even free shipping is offered if your item is valued at $1 or above.
The accepting companies will check out the condition of your device as soon as they receive it,
and then state the amount you’ll get.
Multiple payment options are accepted including PayPal, Amazon checks and bank transfer.
This is a better option in the sense that these companies don’t dump the gadgets, but sell them
in lots after refurbishing.
3. Send Old & Damaged Devices for Recycling
Several companies have started their own recycling programs, making it easy for gadget owners
to take environmentally friendly steps.
For instance, Apple introduced its new robot named “Liam” at the keynote in March.
Liam has the ability to take apart 1.2 million units each year and is responsible for recycling
and deconstruction of old models.
Device owners can send the outdated units to Liam through the Apple Renew program;
the environmentally friendly solution even offers the chance to get some money back on
older devices.
Then there are recycling hotspots in New York, Toronto and other cities where people can
bring in their e-waste for recycling.
By considering these options, you’ll reduce your carbon footprint in the long run.
What are you doing to reduce environmental degradation caused by your digital devices?
Share your thoughts and comments with us.
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