Just because a product is in good working order, it doesn’t necessarily mean that the owner still wants to use it. Manufacturers use that theory to convince buyers to replace certain electrical and computerized goods. Our culture is permeated with consumerism and new gadgets are introduced all of the time to keep abreast of fashion. People want the latest electronic goods that combine style and convenience, not nearly enough people invest in electronics repairs when they should. While this does keep the economy moving with supply and demand, the e-waste generated from this non-sustainable practice is overwhelming.
Built to Not Last
Frequently building new models of devices creates a lot of electronic waste, but people who lust after the latest technology typically don’t take that into consideration. The latest iPhone is sleeker and more powerful and utilizes a different type of port – why keep the previous version?
This level of consumerism worries environmentalists, who know that many of the hundreds of thousands of earlier models, and all the accompanying accessories, just end up in landfills. Electronic waste can have serious effects: electronic equipment contains dangerous and toxic metals and chemicals such as mercury, lead, and cadmium. In addition to harming the environment, when the poisons seep into soil, people and animals are affected.
While there are often opportunities for residents of cities to recycle their electronic waste, millions of electronic devices like computers, TVs and cell phones join the rest of the garbage, perhaps due to convenience, or perhaps due to ignorance.
Is Your Old Smartphone Headed to the Trash?
When a useful electronic item, like a laptop or cell phone, becomes damaged, an easy solution is to throw it away and buy a new one. Many people don’t consider that it is not only cheaper, but better for the environment, if the item was repaired, instead. If you find yourself in this situation, where you have a device that is no longer working or even doesn’t look as pretty as it did when you first bought it, send it to us at iFixYouri — it’ll be like buying your item again, brand new.