7 ways to save the planet from rising e-waste
The demand and production of electronic gadgets have amplified in the past decade owing to modern technology's introduction and the internet's rising penetration. This has undoubtedly made daily life simple. But, on the other side, it had a detrimental effect on the environment. Wondering how?
The sourcing of the materials used for manufacturing these devices leads to the release of many toxic elements. Hence, the concerns.
How severe is this effect?
There are numerous smartphones in the current market that are on your shortlist. However, looking at how much of it destroyed the environment, it wouldn't seem as impressive as it is now. So, here are some shocking facts about it:
Smartphone production is draining energy
Production of mobiles is being carried out at a rampant pace, and it can be attributed to the fact that people are disposing of their smartphones at an alarming rate. This has increased the demand for new smartphones. Now, this production of smartphones requires energy, and most of it is produced by burning fossil fuels. As a result, natural resources are getting depleted. It is also playing a hand in increasing global warming.
A lot of toxic pollutants are being added to the environment
The smartphone manufacturing process involves combustion, and this results in the release of pollutants into the environment. Many toxic pollutants like Sulphur-dioxide and Carbon-dioxide are added to the environment. There is also a lot of particulate matter that is released into the environment. This could result in adverse effects like causing acid rain and also results in global warming. The particulate matter could cause cancer and respiratory diseases.
It results in soil erosion and depletion of forest cover
Due to the mining of the metals essential to smartphone manufacturing, there is a lot of excavation done, resulting in erosion of the top layer of the soil, which is relatively fertile and binds the soil layers properly. It is also helpful for giving the vegetation a proper foundation. But incessant mining results in soil erosion during rains and winds, and the forest cover also depletes. This results in significant changes in the climate, which has a broader effect on human life across the globe.
How to fix it?
You can easily save the planet and reverse all the damage by taking 7 steps:
1. Start recycling the material that is used in mobile phones. Plastic, gold, silver, indium, germanium, and all other substances that can be recycled should be processed accordingly. But that will not bring down the emissions and carbon footprint to zero. But it will undoubtedly result in reducing the amounts.
2. Increase the plantation of vegetation. All smartphone manufacturing companies should be tasked with increasing the forest cover as part of their CSR commitments. They should also create recycling centers.
3. Start using renewable sources of energy in the manufacturing or recycling of smartphones. At least it will help reduce emissions and relieve the load on fossil fuels.
4. Increase the number of repair points. Most of the time, the only issue with the phone is that it is broken, which is why you are replacing it. Having more repair centers will generate employment and save nature.
5. Restore the old mobiles which have been outdated. Most of the time, the software needs to be upgraded, not the hardware.
6. Resist the urge to upgrade your phone. The biggest issue is that people have the desire to buy smartphones. With the drop in prices, they can do that. But if you have to save Mother Nature, you must do just that.
7. Instead of upgrading, what you can do is, opt for refurbished smartphones. There are so many good quality refurbished phones in the market. You can easily find one to upgrade to without investing too much.
But a point that arises here is, is there any reliable refurbished smartphone retailer in the market? Yes, there is, and Mobex is one of the leading ones. The company has a standard 65+ quality check process that ensures the quality of the device. They also offer a 1-year warranty, which gives you the needed peace of mind.
Final words: Saving the planet and its resources is important for the survival of the human race. However, doing so needs a joint effort, so everyone has to do their bit to lead to a larger change that will ultimately protect the environment.