Electronic sustainability - How to purchase electronics more consciously?
Information technologies now play a significant role in our lives. Most of us cannot imagine our day without a phone, computer or tablet. We use it a lot and for a long time. And we sure are interested and excited to hear about new technological innovations. But what does it mean for us to change our electronic devices too often?
We can all agree that it is an expensive pleasure and not only if we think about its monetary value. Once we are done with using an old device, its “life” does not end just there. After it has been thrown or given away, some of its valuable parts are being re-used and the rest becomes e-waste.
Having this in mind, how can we buy electronics more sustainably?
A new niche of second-hand shopping
In today’s world where we are starting to re-think our everyday habits and choices, buying used items is no surprise. The same goes for used electronics. Now there are plenty of websites where people can sell and buy used electronic devices. It is great for those who do not want to spend a lot of money on a new device or wants to be more sustainable: by selling their current device and finding a new used gadget to replace an old one.
Supporting sustainable production of electronics
For those who do not miss the pleasure of unboxing a brand-new device from a store, there is also a way of not missing a chance to support brands that work on implementing greener ways of production. Companies such as Fairphone are on a mission to reduce carbon emissions. What is important to understand when buying electronics is that it is made from very different materials and some of them are toxic to us and the environment. So, before buying a new device, we should at least look up brands that try to use sustainable materials. Even if we are very careful with our electronics and trying to change our devices as rarely as possible, usually, after 18 months or so, we notice that they do not work as well as they used to. With Fairphone people can forget about “design for the dump” as the company is glad to repair and upgrade their phones to ensure that their products would be used for as long as possible.
Is it unusable?
Before getting rid of your broken phone or computer, challenge yourself to try to repair it first. You can try to do it yourself as this way you will become connected to your device on a whole new level: it will allow you to learn something new, it won’t cost you as much money as buying a new device and this way you will contribute to the society that no longer wants to live in a polluted environment. And of course, if you need any help, some professionals can give you a hand with repairing your device or giving you proper advice. Before heading to a repair shop, check with brands that you buy from as they should also provide these services.
Conclusion -How to purchase electronics more consciously?
Now there are better ways for us to buy various electronics without harming our planet. What we can do is to ask these main questions: can we fix it? Reuse it? If change it, then how? Do we need a new device? If so, what brands are providing us with the best possible production?
We have choices, we just have to make the right ones.
