Can refurbished gadgets help slow down climate change? This claim might be a long shot but hear us out.
Refurbished gadgets are slowly on the rise. More companies are offering refurbished products and are becoming movement leaders to a more sustainable technology industry. At the rate carbon emissions are rising, it’s about time someone made the step. By following some tech tips, you can reduce, reuse, recycle, and refurbish your electronic devices, extending their lifespan and minimizing e-waste.
In 2017, Gartner estimated that the world would have 20.4 billion connected things by 2020—that’s more gadgets than people (estimated to be about 7.9 billion).
Thankfully, more and more companies are reducing their carbon footprint through various efforts to achieve greener technology, like switching to more sustainable fuel sources, recycling materials for production, recycling scraps for other uses, and more.
Sustainable technology describes the effort to convert technology to a contributor that helps reduce environmental damage and risks through conscious greener efforts and fosters economic and social development.
Each year, big tech companies are pumping out new versions of their gadgets. With this constant production, e-waste has been a significant environmental problem, as old devices come to the end of their use.
Fossil fuel is the most prominent carbon emission of factories and from chemical reactions during production. In 2019, industries and factories, like tech companies and factories, are the third-largest contributor to greenhouse emissions, the first being transportation. Digital transformation in healthcare can help reduce waste, reuse resources, recycle materials, and refurbish equipment, leading to a more sustainable and environmentally friendly healthcare system.
E-waste or electronic waste is addressed slowly through various efforts likereducing, reusing, recycling, and refurbishing gadgets. However, practicing these four R’s usually entails a more conscious effort to minimize carbon footprint.
Benefits of Refurbished Products for the Environment
Green technology and other sustainable efforts in technology could have a multitude of benefits to the environment.
1. Reduced need for raw materials
Recycling items has been a long-standing global effort to reduce carbon footprint. By recycling and reusing the same end-product to create new ones, we’re reducing the need for raw materials like trees, coal, oil, and the like.
2. Preserved animal habitat
Stemming from recycling, reducing the need for raw materials would lessen the risk of deforestation. In addition, it would provide a healthier ecosystem for animals, preserving their habitat and food source.
3. Slowed global warming rate
Global warming is still present, but we can still slow down its progression by reducing human emissions of heat-trapping gases like carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and water vapor. Point-of-sale technologies in retail can be used to track and reduce carbon emissions, contributing to the slowed global warming rate. Large factories, including automotive and technology, usually produce greenhouse gases.
Consumer Benefits of Refurbished Gadgets
Included in the four R’s we’ve mentioned before is refurbishing gadgets. Refurbished gadgets are gadgets sent back to manufacturers for minor or major repairs.
Selling these gadgets means selling them as “refurbished” products that would give them a lower price tag. So, what’s wrong with that? Honestly, nothing. The manufacturer repairs, cleans, resets, and repackages the products, and in a lot of cases, you’ll get a device that is good as new, complete with a warranty!
However, not a lot of people are talking about it. Refurbished products like gadgets have a long list of advantages, not only for the environment but also for end-users.
1. Reduced price tag
Unlike new gadgets, refurbished gadgets would usually come at a lower price since they had minor issues. Still, it doesn’t mean that manufacturer/licensed technicians can’t repair them like new ones.
2. Reduced factory carbon footprint
Carbon emission is the primary culprit of climate change. You can help reduce carbon emissions by purchasing refurbished gadgets instead of new ones. Buying a refurbished product is one less product produced, a carbon footprint that you helped stop.
3. Contribution to zero-waste
As mentioned, new gadgets are being produced yearly, with old versions still being in constant production. For each product returned because of minor damage, that’s a perfectly reparable, salvable, and usable product to be refurbished, ready for use. Instead of letting it rot away in an e-waste facility or
landfill, you could have it completely fixed and utilized for a smaller price.
Make Refurbishing a Habit
Purchasing refurbished gadgets like used Macbook Pro, phones, and other gadgets is just one of the many ways we, as consumers, can help improve the world’s ecological footprint. But, of course, our efforts should not stop at gadgets.
Climate change is a global problem, and it affects everyone. Through our efforts, we can make an impact in little ways. Conscious decision-making and a bit of research could slow down the rate of climate change and let us enjoy this planet we call Earth for a while longer.
Author’s Bio:
Gary Everrett is a Tech Geek who is a writer by passion. Mostly he writes about topics revolving around the latest gadget and technology. In his free time, he likes to read sci-fi novels and play golf.
