We may not think of our electronic gadgets as being particularly guilt-free when it comes to environmental impact – and, in many cases, that is sadly true – but the good news is that we can lessen their effects. By becoming more conscientious consumers of our precious smartphones, we can make our devices more eco-friendly and protect the planet from the often-hazardous elements they contain.
Read on to find out more, and discover the various ingenious innovations that have been developed that can help make our electronics lighter on the natural world – and our wallets.
Go Unplugged
One of the simplest ways to make your usage of gadgets more eco-friendly is to unplug them whenever possible. After all, once they’re fully charged, there’s no need for them to remain plugged in and siphoning electricity. These days, our devices tend to have long-lasting battery lives, so even if we need to take them on the commute to the office, we shouldn’t need to worry that they will die on us partway through the day – although, to be on the safe side, it’s always a good idea to carry a charger.
By unplugging them when they no longer need charging, however, we will be making a small but meaningful contribution toward more sustainable tech use.
Think ‘Repair’ Not ‘Replace’
Once upon a time, possessions used to last a lifetime, and people took care to mend and maintain their belongings to help them remain functional for as long as possible. However, over the past few decades, our mentality shifted sharply in the other direction – toward frequently replacing everything from phones and televisions to cars and kitchens.
When it comes to electronics, which require harmful processes to manufacture, this kind of attitude is particularly harmful. To try and lessen the damage as much as possible, and focus on treading more lightly on the earth and not taking more than we actually need, we should focus on keeping our phones, tablets, and laptops alive for as long as we can.
If you’re keen to do your part for the planet, but you are worried that getting your devices repaired will be a hassle, there’s no need to fret.
Rather than having to type ‘mobile phone repair near me’ into Google and then schlepping your gadget to the nearest repair shop, all you need to do is get in touch with Likewize Repair. They provide mobile phone and tablet repairs that are designed to make your life as easy as possible - because the technician comes to you. That’s right: you don’t even need to leave your home (or your office). What’s more, the repair should take less than an hour, and will be guaranteed for the next twelve months. Now that’s a hassle-free way to help the environment.
Prioritise Downloading Rather Than Streaming
You may not realise it, but streaming music and movies has a worryingly large carbon footprint. In fact, research has revealed that YouTube generates more carbon emissions in the course of one year than the entire city of Glasgow. Meanwhile, the total number of hours spent by fans watching the top ten shows on Netflix within the first month of their release resulted in similar emissions to 1.1 billion miles of car travel.
If you find these figures troubling and you want to reduce your own streaming-based carbon emissions – without missing out on your favourite movies, TV shows and music artists – there is a simple solution: downloading.
By downloading content to your laptop, tablet, or phone, you can enjoy it at your leisure, and you won’t have to worry about contributing to climate change, while you’re unwinding with your favourite entertainment.
Reducing Your E-Waste
You probably already do what you can to reduce the amount of waste you produce at home; for example, by composting food scraps, recycling packaging, and donating your unwanted possessions to charity. But what about the electronic waste that you generate on a daily basis?
By using a number of simple but effective techniques, you can make your electronics usage more sustainable and eco-friendly. These techniques include:
- Turning the screen of your phone or tablet off, rather than letting it turn off by itself.
- Dimming the screen to the lowest comfortable level of brightness.
- Turning off any features that you don’t need.
- Charging your devices using a power strip, which allows you to turn off individual plugs when they are not needed.
- Buy energy-efficient appliances, and research which electronics manufacturers are most committed to sustainability and achieving net zero.
Summing Up
While we can’t entirely offset the damage caused to the natural world by the widespread production and use of our many electronic devices, we can still help to lessen our impact on the planet that sustains us.
From repairing your gadgets, rather than sending them to landfill, to finding simple ways to use them more sustainably, you can make a small but significant difference to the world and help to make it a better place.
