What to Do with All this Metal?

Do you ever wonder where we go when we die? Not our ‘essence’ or whatever, but our mortal bodies. A bit dark I suppose, but I always imagined myself buried without a casket or cremated and dumped on soil. Like us, our things also have an expiration date. I understand that all equipment have a predetermined useful life, which may or may not be adjusted. Now, our electronics mostly have relatively short lives. This is because of the tech industry’s aggressive production of newer products in a short span of time. As humans, we also have an insatiable appetite for material things which leads us to buy the latest and greatest. 

Here’s the big problem, what do you do with your old gadgets? Sell them, give them away, use it as a trade-in, or ultimately chuck it in the bin. Whatever electronics we end up throwing out, it is then classified as e-waste. What some of us don’t realize is that e-waste is pretty harmful for the environment and therefore harmful to us. This is due to the chemicals that might contaminate water sources, the atmosphere, and the soil if not discarded properly. What’s worse is that unlike us, electronics aren’t biodegradable. So, you couldn’t easily get rid of them.

Disposing of these electronics is the responsibility of their consumers but busy individuals would rather put their gadgets in with their general waste rather than researching the proper process. Generally, companies seem to address this problem with trade-ins or buy-back programs (Gibbons, 2021). From there, partner organizations are entrusted with correct recycling of the electronics.

As consumers we could also do our part in limiting e-waste. A staple in anything related to limiting waste is the 3Rs (reduce, reuse, and recycle). I know, it is awfully cliche and ran over a million times already but it is effective, which I can say is better than nothing. Simply reduce your consumption of electronics. You don’t need three full sized refrigerators in a five person household. You don’t need an air conditioner in every room of your house. Reuse your electronics by donating them. I’m sure that others would greatly appreciate your used laptop. Lastly, recycling. If the gadget cannot be salvaged, take it to a recycling center. They can ensure that it is properly taken apart and eventually move on to a new life. In addition to the 3Rs, fixing your electronics is also a good practice. Don’t spend more for what is easily repaired. 

This is all subjective, of course. No one can force you to do something. Although, taking these steps will be for the greater good. After all, aren’t we all living on this planet?

References:

Gibbons, S. (2021, October 21). How companies are addressing the e-waste problem. Forbes. Retrieved March 7, 2022, from https://www.forbes.com/sites/serenitygibbons/2021/10/21/how-companies-are-addressing-the-e-waste-problem/?sh=50ebadfe7c21 

Komeleva, A. (n.d.). photograph.