Technology has changed and revolutionised our lives over time. Consumers’ purchasing tastes continually evolve as more breakthroughs and enhancements in modern applications are made. The emergence of mobile phones and other technological items has resulted in a considerable increasing technological consumption per person, resulting in unparalleled ecological impacts. As people’s knowledge of the world has grown, more environmentally conscious and socially responsible items have been adopted.
Why choose a Refurbished Phone?
Choosing refurbished smartphones is a strategy that many individuals have adopted in this aspect. It can sound unlikely that a smartphone can cause significant environmental damage. However, while daily use of a smartphone causes minimal harm, these indispensable items that we cannot survive sans can harm nature in various ways.
Purchasing a refurbished phones over a brand new device can be a good start for individuals who wish to become more ecologically conscientious. The E-gadgets we throw away carelessly cause massive harm to the environment and humanity. They are segmented, graded, cleaned in acid baths, and recovered elements like tin and silver. Throughout the procedure, the threat encountered by the people involved in these operations and the environment is massive. E-waste has become one of the prime worrying factors to the stability of the environment.
Therefore, it has become a popular trend that is followed nowadays to buy refurbished phones instead of sealed models. Mainly these smartphones offer the same advantages at a significantly lower price. Some of the reasons why a refurbished phone can help the environment are mentioned below.
- They can contribute to an overall reduction in carbon emissions
As mobile phones become more indispensable, they continue to consume increasing time and resources to manufacture. The process of extracting these conductive plates to make phones emits a large amount of CO2, which is hazardous because it contributes to global warming, environmental damage, and other natural world instabilities. Throughout a two-year lifespan, the manufacturing process contributes to between 85 and 95 percent of a phone’s carbon dioxide emission. The energy required through using and charging the phone accounts for the remaining emission levels. Research indicates that manufacturing a new phone consumes the same energy as operating and charging old smartphones for close to a decade.
Despite developments in smartphone and tablet capabilities, there is still no progress in reducing carbon footprint during manufacturing. The opposite is the case: more elements are mined with each newer and larger model, producing more emissions.
- They are better used than being sent to be recycled
Even considering that these models are not destroyed, if they are recycled, it is still a waste of a perfect phone that could have otherwise been used for many other reasons. While recycling positively impacts the planet, it takes time and resources to recycle consumer electronics. This tends to be wasteful in terms of gadgets. Furthermore, the trash produced is enormous because many electrical components cannot be recovered. As a result, using a reconditioned phone can help you achieve the goal of reuse and reduction.
- This consumes lesser raw materials
When lesser materials are used to produce something, the resultant waste will also be lowered. Several of the resources employed in manufacturing are non-renewable. Materials like magnetite, titanium, and praseodymium are expensive to harvest and limited. Humanity will run out of these materials and therefore be unable to restore them. On Earth, 17 minerals are categorized as scarce. Surprisingly, 16 of them are employed in the production of most smartphones.
Smartphones have short life spans compared to other technology sources due to rapid modifications and society’s desire for the next hottest thing. Unfortunately, just a tiny portion of phones are salvaged each year, and most people’s old devices wind up in landfills.
Electronic trash is among the most dangerous, contaminating land, waterways, and the atmosphere when incorrectly discarded. Up to 70% of harmful landfill garbage is e-waste.
The circular economy notion is gaining traction and for an excellent purpose. Buying refurbished phones has become an essential component of this. The bulk of technological devices are durable and designed to last. When electrical gadgets are reconditioned and re-circulated, the device’s life cycle is extended, and the potential ecological effect on the globe is reduced.
