Everything You Need to Know About E-Cycling
Technology is slowly but surely taking over our lives. We all want the latest and greatest electronics, and the average household contains 24 electronic devices.
The lifespan of these is getting shorter by the day, and most are simply tossed in the trash. Think of the cell phone you had 10 years ago. How many have you had since then? And what happened to them all? Enter E-cycling.
It may seem like a strange idea to recycle your electronics, but if we don’t make an effort to do this, they will end up in a landfill. Electronic waste that is not disposed of in the proper way can become a real health hazard.
So, what is the best way to go about e-cycling? Read on to find out.
What Is E-Cycling?
E-cycling is a process of reusing or redistributing the components of electronic waste at the end of its life cycle. There is currently a serious problem caused by the dumping of electronics in the wrong places. Electronic waste, or e-waste contains, various hazardous materials that can be harmful to the environment and ourselves if not disposed of in the correct way.
They also contain several valuable and useful materials that can be recycled to help reduce raw mining. Unfortunately, the average person does not have the time or the knowledge to do this themselves, and this is another way electronic recycling centers can help out. Several recycling centers offer to dispose of your e-waste, so look for your nearest option – check out this site as an example.
Raw Mining
Raw mining is the process of extracting the raw materials needed to manufacture electronics. The whole process from start to finish produces an extreme amount of carbon emissions. Any way that we can reduce this, no matter how small is a win for the environment.
Repair, Reuse, E-cycle
Some electronics can be repaired somehow with time and the know-how. Those that can are then resold, and many people are now looking to buy refurbished rather than new ones to reduce their carbon footprint. The balance is sent for stripping and separating, and what is not used goes to landfills.
This is still not an ideal scenario, but better than what you started with. Plus with all the hazardous materials removed, there is no risk of leaching or poisoning the soil.
Buy Green
Choosing to buy green or sustainably offers a small amount of relief to the cycle. Look for products that have been refurbished or electronics that are upgradable rather than replaceable.
Electronic World
As a consumer, you will buy new electronics. We live in a world where it is close to impossible to live without them.
But it is up to us to ensure the lifespan of those we buy does not last only until the next model comes out. By increasing the longevity of what we own, we are doing our small part in helping decrease the amount of e-cycling that needs to be done.
If you found this article interesting, have a look at our other blog posts for more like it.
