Ideas and tips for a green smartphone
5.9 billion people worldwide have a mobile phone.
Per definire la categoria è stato coniato il neologismo “green-tech”, un mondo che abbiamo esplorato per voi, scoprendo tantissimi gadgets sostenibili per smartphone. To define the category, the neologism “green-tech” was coined. It’s a world that we have explored for you, discovering many sustainable gadgets for smartphones.
Let’s start from the fundamentals: the smartphone.
We recently talked about lithium, an essential component of our mobile phones, and how this resource is polluting, as well as coming from ultra-exploited territories. Our mobile devices pollute and exploit, but we don’t seem to care that much.
However, Fairphone certainly does care. It’s a Dutch company that created the first ethical telephone: their production chain is completely fair, transparent and available on the site. Besides, the product is designed to last long as it’s easily repairable and made up of various replaceable modules. If that’s not enough, Fairphone also has a recycling program for old smartphones, which will become operational in a few weeks. From their website:
“Every electronics manufacturer and supplier should prioritise sustainability and fair working conditions. They should be attentive to the climate and the delicate ecosystem of our planet. (…) Together we can pave a way to overcome the short-sighted mindset that the world can no longer afford”.
The gadgets:
Phone-case
What’s the first thing we think about after buying a new smartphone? Yes, the look we’re going to give him. The cover is the dress of our phone and generally reflects our aesthetic taste and our character, too. Of course we want it nice, yes, but if it’s green it’s even better.
We’ve found two of the best alternatives for an eco-friendly phone-case.
Pela, an American company, produces 100% compostable covers with an enviable design range. The company’s patented material is the very soft Flaxstic®, based on bioplastic and flax straw.
If the proposed models don’t win you over, you can opt for the Swedish A good company, whose cases are produced by treating flax seeds, and are also 100% biodegradable. When you want to change your case, the company invites you to send the old one back to the sender, or, alternatively, to plant it in your garden, where it will decompose in a short time.
Cable
Cables are another smartphone owners’ long-standing problem as they’re always twisted and tangled. Cables change for every laptop or phone models. Let’s face it: they confuse us.
A good company offers us “a good cable”, made from recycled plastic and nylon, which promises to be “the only cable you will ever need.” With 5 different USB and micro USB heads, the good cable can charge up to 5 devices at a time, and is compatible with any device.
Same proposal, but with a totally different design, is Mr BIO by Xoopar. Mr Bio is a man-shaped, biodegradable, wheat bioplastic-based multi-cable, whose “arms and legs” are made of woven paper. Given the success of Mr Bio, Xoopar then created a whole range of eco-friendly products, from the powerbank to the mouse.
Charger (solar powered)
When I saw the images of these chargers, I thought of a miracle of technology, and that’s exactly what it is. Although you may feel like you’re in an episode of Back to the Future when using them, don’t be intimidated. There are various sizes and types, available on all the major electronic product sites, as well as on Amazon.
With one of these gadgets you can charge your laptop and smartphone anywhere and anytime with clean and free energy. Maybe get help from a friend who’s an expert in electronics, if you have one, in order to choose your small portable solar panel. It will be useful. Meanwhile, we can tell you that a panel with medium-low level technical specifications may be more than enough for a mobile phone!
Where and how much will you charge your solar charger? You can connect it to a rucksack, bike or motorcycle to collect the rays of sunlight while you’re on the move. Amazing, isn’t it?
Headphones
Wireless, in-ear, on-ear; headphones for each and everyone.
If those supplied with the purchase are enough to some, headphones are a real cult object for others. We’re looking for sound quality, soundproofing performance, comfort, and so on. Yes, but, does anyone check that they’re sustainable?
The material that makes it possible to create zero-impact headphones is wood, which has a thousand-year connection with sound propagation. Just think of musical instruments. Among the manufacturers of wooden headphones we recommend Symphonized, which has something for everyone.
However, creating a wood-based product is not enough, or at least not for House of Marley. Openly inspired by Bob Marley‘s legend, the British company, in addition to manufacturing headphones from wood and recycled materials, supports two sustainability campaigns. With each purchase you contribute to reforesting the Amazon rainforest and preserving the oceans.
While waiting for all the gadgets we use to become biodegradable and eco-friendly, let’s learn how to properly discard those we no longer use.
It is a fact that electronic devices are not disposed of properly.
According to the statistics produced by the UN at the end of 2018, though most of their components would be recoverable and reusable for new products, , 50 million tons of electronic waste are produced worldwide every year. Only 20% of it is recycled. The rest ends up in landfills or exported to poorer nations.
So, if you have decided to change your smartphone, headphones or charger, DO NOT throw the old device in the rubbish, but take it to recycling point. Alternatively, check on the internet to see if the manufacturer has a pick up option for the used product in order to recycle it.
