We live in a world that is more concerned with replacing things that are broken than fixing them. Our society is obsessed with the never-ending “upgrade,” whether that be of phones, computers or appliances. Many times, it is cheaper to simply discard an outdated technology and embrace the newer one, but how many of us think about where the device we deem antiquated ends up?
The answer was recently found in a United Nations report. The report shows that the world’s electrical waste has reached a record-breaking 41.8 million tonnes. This e-waste consists of fragments of our everyday lives — our desktop computers, refrigerators, printers, washing machines and cell phones. Less than one-sixth of these products were recycled properly. Instead of automatically jumping on the “spread awareness” train, which might encourage people to recycle responsibly for a few days but struggles to create lasting change, it would prove more helpful to look at the way the products we consume are designed and understand our fault in the worldwide matter.
Items that have become integral to our lives are not made to last. Although the fact that technology continues to grow at an unparalleled pace should not be seen as negative, it is affecting our earth in a frightening manner. Investments such as phones and computers used to be built to last (which is why the older folks in our lives still hang on to their Nokia flip phones with a vise-like grip).
However, the technology of today is upgraded every six months, making it impossible for us to hold on to anything. With the arrival of a new iPhone or a thinner laptop, many of us will automatically upgrade and discard our older models. Companies do this systematically to increase their profit; an iPhone 4 will become slower, apps will stop updating correctly, and the phone will ultimately fall apart (even if it is physically still in good shape) by the time the iPhone 6 has arrived. In the sphere of home appliances, companies will stop making certain parts that can be used for repair. In most cases with large household devices, the cost of repair is just as much if not more than the funds needed to buy a new appliance.
The deliberate obsolescence of our technology is one of the reasons our earth is currently overrun with waste, and it is not until consumers stop buying into the new fad that we can start to decrease high levels of toxic debris. Although electrical waste only makes up two percent of overall trash disposal in the United States, it equals 70 percent of overall toxic waste. The vast majority of products we throw away can easily be recycled and re-used for new technological advances. We are lucky to live in a part of the world where technology is constantly accessible, but we also hold a larger responsibility to the earth and must be held accountable as active consumers of evolving technology. If society as a whole does not pressure companies to make long-lasting goods, they will continue to profit on our earth’s demise.