Greener Electronics, Mass Consumerism
By Karina | August 6, 2008
I try to live a simple life. But I must admit that when I say trying, mostly what I am doing is resisting the mass-consumption messages that our society bombards us with. Not having a tv, for example, is probably the most I do to prevent these messages from knocking me over the head and dragging me off to the shopping mall. Because have I mentioned how much I love gadgets?
In the last 3 months I’ve made two major gadgety purchases. (This is really unusual, actually - I much prefer to just research them obsessively and never ever spend any money. I’m also a little cheap. I mean thrifty.) The first is a macbook - I didn’t have a personal computer of my own, so it really was something that I needed. And then yesterday? I joined the iPhone bandwagon. I don’t know, y’all! I did sort of need a new cell phone - mine was a solid 3 years old. The goo under the screen is starting to mush out the sides. And… well, I really *wanted* it. There you go.
Apple has had a really interesting track record environmentally. Their packaging has always been minimal and they’ve espoused recycling from the get-go, but still, there are a bunch of toxics used in the production of electronics, and Apple wasn’t reducing them. That is, until a targeted campaign by environmental groups - including Greenpeace - helped to draw attention to this fact and spurred Steve Jobs to pledge to change the way things were done. Check out the original (now archived) Greenpeace website. Isn’t this a fabulous environmental example of effective environmental activism? Now Apple lists a bunch of environmental coups on the internet. To be honest, though, I have no idea if my macbook is one of those with an arsenic-free LCD display. I certainly hope it is! But regardless, I’m certainly glad that Apple has said this:
All the e-waste we collect in North America is processed there and nothing is shipped overseas for disposal. Apple meets the requirements of the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundry Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal. In addition to annual compliance audits of our recycling vendors, we review the performance of their downstream vendors. Recyclers must comply with all applicable health and safety laws, and we do not allow the use of prison labor at any stage of the recycling process. Apple does not allow the disposal of hazardous electronic waste in solid waste landfills or incinerators, including waste-to-energy incinerators.
Also, because I’m a true lover of gadgets, I MUST point out the environmental efficiencies of the incredible macbook air are probably the best out there. Even Greenpeace is practically impressed. If I could afford it, I would have bought it post-haste. Instead, because I just *can’t* spend that much money on a laptop, I have forbidden myself from even looking at it in the Apple store. I know, it’s extreme. But it does help to not buy things if you never look at them!
Now my next big question is what to do with my old cell phone… I’m leaning towards keeping it as an emergency phone should something ever happen to my New! Awesome! IPhone! but if I decide to recycle it I have several options - I can bring it to the apple store, I can recycle it with an environmental fundraiser, or apparently I can get a whole 10 bucks for it.
How are you with the electronic gadgets? Do you love them or loathe them?
Related posts:
- The hunt for greener iphone accessories
- Standardized Phone Chargers
- Is it Too Much Work to adopt a Greener Lifestyle?
- Ending Holiday Consumerism
- Greener Laptop Sleeves
- With the Power of a Thousand Suns
- Greener Pedicures?
Topics: General |
i love gadgets. L O V E. and after reading this post, i’m glad that i’m on the apple bandwagon too! my new macbook is awesome … and i’m secretly hoping someone will get me an iphone for my bday … ;)
the ipod and gps are my other faves.
thanks for the post!!
I didn’t have an iPod or gps before so the iPhone functionality is super along those lines!
I love them, but I don’t buy a lot of them. Most are a lot of money and of really of no use.
I did, however, downgrade from an iMac to a MacBook last Feb. It was to save desk space in our small apartment, but also because it uses less energy.
I’m not a big fan. I have a laptop, an iPod, and a cell phone, and while I use them, they don’t give me great joy. Doodling around w/ my friends’ iPhone is fun for 2 or 3 minutes, but I just don’t see a place for it in my life. I want to get rid of my cell (I hate talking on the phone, I rarely use it, why am I paying for this again?) but my partner isn’t hip to that: “but travelling! and emergencies! and…” He’s sorta right, I guess, but he IS a gadgetgeek, although mostly about software and hardware related to animation and music/video editing.
I have a hate/love relationship with gadgets. They’re exciting and shiny and fancy! But I’m overwhelmed with cables and cords and chargers and charging and carrying and synching and figuring out. I used a PDA for years and am SO happy to be back to a paper system. I have a basic cellphone with basic services and it’s all good with me.
I do see the benefits of the iphone (or other all-in-one system)– I’d LOVE to only carrying around one thing, instead of phone, calendar, and ipod. But I’m just a little tired of the techness of my life and am happy to “downgrade” in this area.
Plus, I’m already connected to a computer for about 70% of my waking hours– the thought of making that 100% makes me itchy. Of course, the day will come when I do succumb to an all-in-one, it’s inevitable… but that day is not today.
But I can’t wait to pinch your new iphone!
I named it Sparky!
Gadgets are my nemesis. And for me, TV is so not the problem in hearing about the next great gizmo — it’s the internet. However, I’m like you, I obsessively research things and then 90% of the time I don’t buy (but don’t think I’m all virtuous and spare in my habits — I check out a LOT of gadgets so 10% can be too much). However, the up side to virtually keeping up with the latest and greatest is that it emphasizes the temporariness of the latest, something better smaller faster cuter is always around the corner so it has made me consider what functions or features are really important to me so I’m not necessarily seduced by the newest .
My laptop is dying but I’ve decided to tough it out until this fall so your post regarding Apple is timely. I was already leaning that way so hearing that they are making an effort regarding green practices is an additional incentive.
well I hate to give you something else to research but I hear that this fall there may be a new MacBook out!
i love gadgets, and am mostly happy that i cannot afford them, more STUFF. but i was wondering if anyone else caught that NPR story of edumping in ghana yesterday, so horrifing about kids walking through this dump pulling out copper and lead!
The edumping is one of the major issues which makes me so glad Apple clearly stated they’re handling all ewaste in North America! at least we know if we recycle electronics with apple they’ll be taken care of responsibly.
now if apple would just certify these recyclers so we could know who to give the rest of our ewaste to - I think I’ll write steve jobs an email!
oh! no email is necessary. Apple has a program where you purchase a shipping label that covers the cost of responsible recycling:
http://www.recycleapc.com/apple/index.asp
how super!
I just learned (from following the link on the TC website!) that that 3R Living place recycles cellphones, so there you go! Pass it on to one of your Brooklyn cowgirls to drop it off (along with your used batteries).
Hey Aminata! Did you know they also accept used crayons for recycling? How cool is that? (I assume they go to a company such as this, which makes “crazy crayons”)
I have never, ever owned a cell phone of my very own. The sad thing is that it’s becoming more and more difficult to find a functioning public payphone these days. I only need to use the payphone a handful of times a year at most, but they just aren’t common anymore.
I always say the payphone is right next to the public drinking fountain. Get it? ;)
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