the health of citizens in some of the world’s
poorest countries.
According to a report from MarketWatch,
consumers replace their mobiles every 15
months, and with new technologies such as
5G coming to the fore, that timespan could be
shortened further. Worldwide, close to 50 million
tons of electric waste was generated last year,
which highlights the growing importance of
recycling and repurposing technology and the
precious materials used in their creation. The
United Nations suggests that less than 20% of
e-waste is recycled, which could mean we’d see
120 million tons of electronic scrap by 2050.
Not only is this bad for our wildlife, but it can
present a real danger to human life, too. Indeed,
some of the most common substances found
in technology products include lead, antimony,
and nickel, which are toxic elements that can
pollute our rivers, lakes, and seas, releasing
gases into the atmosphere that can harm our
ecosystems. And let’s face it: there are only so
many precious metals left - once they run out,
we’ll be forced to recycle in order to innovate.
Politicians and environmentalists are
increasingly calling for “responsible
consumption” - encouraging consumers to
hold onto their devices for longer and choose
products that come from sustainable sources.
Perhaps one of the easiest ways to reduce
e-waste is to avoid replacing products so
regularly. For example, do you need a new
iPhone every 12 months, or can you make your
new iPhone 12 last until the iPhone 15 release?
Is it possible to make do with one HomePod
in your living room, or do you really need one
in every room of your home? As a consumer,