Devices

Recently, the world’s biggest company, Apple, has come under fire for slowing down its electronics. If you are an Apple user, you may notice your phone slow down just around the time the new iphone is being released. This is no coincidence!! Apple has purposefully slowed down older devices and has had to pay $113 million to settle a case regarding it. When things slow down, consumers feel the need to upgrade to a faster, newer version. This is not only unnecessary but also a huge contributor to the vast amount of waste produced by devices each year, 50 million tonnes to be exact. With this e-waste comes the release of greenhouse gases from fossil fuel production. The metals and polymers that make up the electronic devices, release many greenhouse gases into the air. What a mess! At the consumer level, it’s simple, limit the amount of devices you buy and use them in energy efficient ways.

DIY

While you can’t make your own electronic devices, you can make sustainable decisions with the ones you already have. First off, don’t fall into the trap of buying the newest version of a device. Phones should last you two to three years and other devices will last a lot longer. If you somehow crack the screen, it is more sustainable for you to get the screen fixed than buy a new device. When you go to get a new device, make sure you turn your old one into to get refurbished and resold, or recycle it!

here are some tips for making maximize the lifetime of your device:

-do the updates as soon as possible

-don’t overload your device with apps

-clean often

-avoid overworking it

-avoid dropping it

-replace the battery

Second-hand

A great way to find affordable electronic devices is looking for second-hand or refurbished ones. This allows you to get a more recent device, for a cheaper price, and with less of an environmental impact. Just be aware of scams! Look on trusted second hand sites and make sure the listing is verified as authentic. Electronic stores like Best Buy also sell refurbished devices. People tend to upgrade their phone before it’s necessary so there are a lot of gently used phones out their waiting to be used again.

Buy New

Society once lived with no electronics, so limiting the amount we have should be no issue! Unfortunately, it is. New versions and special edition colors can often make it hard to resist buying a new device even if the one they have is perfectly fine. In reality though, if you buy one or two devices, you’ll have everything you need. You don’t need a phone, a tablet, a computer, and a digital watch. Most devices have everything you need all in one.

For big companies like Dell and HP, electronics produce a lot of unnecessary waste and pollution. A great deal of companies say they are carbon neutral and use recycled materials but they are still a huge part of the problem. In terms of what you as a consumer can do, buy ENERGY STAR certified devices from these companies and limit the amount of devices you purchase. Search for them here.

My Picks

Keep in mind these three companies make simple devices. They don’t have all the bells and whistles a device like an i phone has, but they are doing good for the environment and their workers.

Fairphone

A Dutch company paving the way in the sustainable electronics industry. They are called fairphone because of their mission to make the world fairer. Fair pay, fair working conditions, overall a fairer future for all. Fairphone makes their devices from recycled materials and sustainably sourced minerals, and they are easily reparable. They are investing in these mining communities and keeping production on a small scale to ensure they maintain sustainable practices and good working conditions.

b-corp certified, fairtrade gold integrated, EcoVadis platinum medal, iFixit 10/10 score
Read about their impact here.

Teracube

Teracube is a eco-friendly phone company. Their phones are made with 25% recycled plastic and have replaceable parts. It comes with a biodegradable case and screen protector too. They are built to last years longer than the average smartphone.

fair trade, plant a tree for every phone sold
affordable price

SHIFT

SHIFT is a small, family-owned electronic company from Germany. They are focused on producing sustainable electronics and providing good working conditions for those involved. When a phone needs repairing, they send the parts for you to fix it yourself. Being able to make simple repairs allows for the phone to last you longer.