Shop on Impakter Eco
  • Women
  • Men
  • Kids
  • Beautycare
  • Home & Living
  • Food & Drinks
  • Pets
Impakter
  • Shop Eco
  • Culture
    • Art
    • Cinema
    • Entertainment
    • Literature
    • Music
    • Photography
  • Style
    • Architecture
    • Design
    • Fashion
    • Foodscape
    • Lifestyle
  • Society
    • Business
    • Environment
    • Foreign Affairs & Politics
    • Health
    • Tech
    • Science
    • Start-up
  • Impact
    • Eco Life
    • Circular Economy
    • COP26
    • CityLife
      • Copenhagen
      • San Francisco
      • Seattle
      • Sydney
    • Sustainability Series
      • SDGs Series
      • Shape Your Future
      • 2030: Dream or Reality
    • Philanthropy
      • United Nations
      • NGO & Charities
      • Essays
    • Your Voice
      • Empower Earth
      • Empower Equality
  • SUSTAINABILITY INDEX
  • Startup-Hub
    • Companies
    • Investors
    • Organisations
    • Jobs
    • Events
  • Partners
  • About
    • Team
    • Global Leaders
    • Contributors
    • Write for Impakter
    • IMPAKTER Italy
    • Republishing Content
    • Permissions and Copyright
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact
No Result
View All Result
Impakter
No Result
View All Result
Home Eco Life

Sustainable Technology: What It Means and How To Consume It

Sustainable JunglebySustainable Jungle
April 1, 2022
in Eco Life, Tech
sustainable technology
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

This is the first article in collaboration with Sustainable Jungle. Sustainable Jungle is here to encourage and galvanize positive change. We share sustainability related ideas, tips, tricks, hacks, products, brands and stories of people & organizations doing meaningful work to future-proof our planet.

 

For better or worse, technology is advancing at a pace that’s hard to comprehend. 

And while technology’s leaps and bounds are impressive, it has led to an insatiable consumption of products that is dangerous not only to ourselves but to the world we inhabit.

Let’s boot up some information on the biggest environmental and ethical conundrums of technology and how we as consumers can scroll our way to a more sustainable technology diet.

 

Ethical Problems With Technology

Technology’s ethical problems bookend the device lifespan, beginning with raw material sourcing. 

Most people are at least vaguely aware of the issues surrounding mining, albeit usually within the context of sustainable and ethical jewelry. These same metals are what make up the body of your new iPhone.

Due to conflicts over mining regions, extracting metals used to make gadgets has caused  millions of deaths. While certified conflict-free metals are available, that doesn’t change the fact that modern slavery and child labor remain rampant, nor does it impact the hazardous nature of mining.

Technology’s next major ethical conundrum occurs after the device has powered off for the last time.

Electronic waste is not only environmentally damaging but also ethically damaging. 

Western countries ship an overwhelming amount of discarded tech to developing countries for dismantlement and sorting of materials for recycling.

Sounds like a good thing, right? 

Except that in developing countries, there are no regulations or safety measures in place to correctly manage the process. 

This results in exposure—particularly of women and children who do the majority of this labor—to known carcinogens, neurotoxic, and endocrine-disrupting compounds such as mercury, nickel, flame retardants, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), lead, and cadmium. 

Environmental Problems With Technology

Vast swaths of poisoned land rendered unusable, intensive energy and fossil fuel usage, and millions of gallons of waste water: the environmental impact of mining is just as severe as the social fallout.

While the catchy hypocorism “e-waste” makes the problem seem far less insidious than it is, the jarring reality is that 45 million metric tons are generated globally each year. 

Computer Waste
Excessive waste of outdated technology

A staggering 80-85% of America’s unwanted gadgets end up in landfills, where toxic elements like flame retardants, mercury, and other heavy metals seep into the earth, contaminating groundwater and altering surrounding ecosystems.

Not to mention the fact that e-waste means literally wasting a host of valuable materials, including gold, silver, and lead.

 

How to Consume Technology More Mindfully

Consuming technology is not an inherently bad thing.

Of course zero waste tech is a long ways away and you will eventually need to replace your smartphone or computer. However, minimizing how frequently we need to do so is critical to our health and the planet’s.

Buy Less

Adopt a slow and sustainable technology mindset, buying only what you need when you need; redefining the term “need”. 

You need a computer that doesn’t crash every time you boot it up; You don’t need to replace the phone you bought last year because this year’s camera is 1 megapixel sharper.

Another slow tech staple is to buy used or refurbished electronics. That way, you’re still getting something “new to you” that’s not necessarily new. By doing so, you’ll save money and the planet will save on waste.

Repair What You Can

There are so many electronic repair companies out there—even some brands offer free repairs under warranty.

Instead of giving up on a gadget that isn’t completely functional, get the problem diagnosed. A simple fix may be all that’s standing between years of use and leaching chemicals into a landfill.

Recycle What You Can’t

If it can’t be repaired, learn how to dispose of electronics properly, whether by reselling, donating, or recycling.

The impact of this can’t be understated. Recycling one million laptops alone could recapture enough energy to power 3,657 homes in the U.S. for a year.

Buy Better

If you do buy new, do your research by reading reviews to ensure you buy quality products that last for years, like tried and tested stainless steel eco friendly kettles. 

You know the old adage “you get what you pay for”, electronics are no different. 

Granted, costs can be prohibitive for premium technology, but think of it like this: If you have to buy one $100 item every year versus one $500 item that will last you ten, you’re saving money in the long-term.

Buy Ethically

Whether you’re shopping for eco friendly appliances or any other form of ethical electronics, try supporting sustainably-minded brands.

Look at a brand’s sourcing and manufacturing policies. Do they transparently disclose them, or does it appear like they’re hiding something? 

Next, look at how the products are made. 

Do they bear certifications such as B Corporation and Fair Trade ensuring ethical practice? Do they utilize energy-saving manufacturing techniques, offer extra product warranties, have repair options, or support carbon offset programs?

 

Final Thoughts on Ethical and Sustainable Technology

For all its ills, technology has yielded remarkable improvements, both in terms of human rights and sustainable living.

Unfortunately, that doesn’t negate the damage the tech sector has caused. If we continue to consume technology at the pace we currently are, there may not be any going back.

It’s time we redefine the role of technology in our lives. 

Remind yourself that part of the joy of technology is its ability to connect us to the wonders of this world; don’t let that same technology destroy it.

Editor’s Note: The opinions expressed here by Impakter.com columnists are their own, not those of Impakter.com. — In the Featured Photo: laptop with plants  Featured Photo Credit: Shutterstock

Tags: cleantechecolifeSustainabilitysustainablelivingsustainabletechnology
Previous Post

Summit in the Negev Desert: A Historical Shift in the Palestinian Question?

Next Post

Major Groups in EU Parliament Object to Labelling Gas and Nuclear Energy as Sustainable Investments

Sustainable Jungle

Sustainable Jungle

Related Posts

Eco-Vacation: Top Kid-Friendly Ideas
Eco Life

Eco-Vacation: Top Kid-Friendly Ideas

August 7, 2022
clothing rack
Eco Life

Hip Hip Hooray for Hand-Me-Down Clothing

August 6, 2022
The 8 Best TikTok Accounts About Foraging
Agriculture

The 8 Best TikTok Accounts About Foraging

August 5, 2022
Next Post
Major Groups in EU Parliament Object to Labelling Gas and Nuclear Energy as Sustainable Investments

Major Groups in EU Parliament Object to Labelling Gas and Nuclear Energy as Sustainable Investments

Recent News

Monkeypox Now Declared a “National Health Emergency” in the US. Should Have This Been Done Sooner?

Monkeypox Now Declared a “National Health Emergency” in the US. Should Have This Been Done Sooner?

August 8, 2022
Taiwan Crisis: China Carries Out “Simulated Attack,” Top Taiwan Military Official Found Dead

Taiwan: Could China’s War Games Turn Real?

August 8, 2022
Eco-Vacation: Top Kid-Friendly Ideas

Eco-Vacation: Top Kid-Friendly Ideas

August 7, 2022
impakter-logo-light

Impakter informs you through the eco news site and empowers your sustainable lifestyle with its eco products marketplace.

Visit here IMPAKTER ECO for your eco products needs.

Registered Office Address

32 Lots Road, London
SW10 0QJ, United Kingdom


IMPAKTER Limited

Company number: 10806931

Impakter is a publication that is identified by the following International Standard Serial Number (ISSN) is the following 2515-9569 (Printed) and 2515-9577 (online – Website).


Office Hours - Monday to Friday

9.30am - 5.00pm CEST


Email

stories [at] impakter.com

About Us

  • Team
  • Contributors
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact
  • Partners

By Audience

  • Lifestyle
  • Green Finance
  • Culture
  • Society
  • Style
  • Impact

Impakter Platforms

  • Media
  • Up
  • Index
  • Eco for Sellers
  • Impakter Pro

© 2022 IMPAKTER. All rights reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • Culture
  • Style
  • Society
  • Impact
  • ECO Products Shop – Try now!
  • INDEX – Sustainability Index
  • UP – Startup Hub
  • About
    • Partners
    • Team
    • Contact
    • Privacy Policy
Impakter.com uses cookies to enhance your experience when visiting the website and to serve you with advertisements that might interest you. By continuing to use this site, you agree to our use of cookies. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.