Lack of sustainability in smartphones and co. impacts the environment
Published: Monday, May 13th 2024, 10:10
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In Switzerland, almost one in two people keep their old smartphones, tablets or laptops at home, according to the Federal Statistical Office. This means that sustainability is still in its infancy in the digital sector.
According to estimates, between two thirds and 80 percent of the digital CO2 footprint is caused by end users' devices, as the Federal Statistical Office states in a report on internet use published on Monday. In Switzerland, entertainment and information media consumed 8.2 percent of the country's electricity.
More attention should therefore be paid to sustainability when buying and disposing of smartphones, tablets and laptops. The majority of the CO2 footprint is created during the manufacturing of the device, not during the use phase. In the case of smartphones, manufacturing is responsible for at least 80 percent of the total CO2 footprint.
The balance of smartphones is also particularly unfavorable, as they are used for an extremely short period of time. According to the report, they are estimated to last between two and three years in Switzerland.
Extend duration of use
Important steps to minimize the environmental impact of digitalization would be to extend the effective service life of devices by repairing, reselling or refurbishing them. In addition, the recycling of the raw materials they contain should be promoted.
However, according to the FSO survey, 48% of internet users leave their old smartphone in a drawer. This figure is only slightly lower for laptops and tablets at 44%.
Behavior is somewhat different for unused desktop computers. A quarter of people keep them at home, while 45% dispose of them as electronic waste. Smartphones are only recycled or disposed of as e-waste by a fifth of people, and laptops and tablets by 25 percent.
In the survey, only a fifth of people stated that they had given their old mobile device a second life. Although Switzerland performs well in an international comparison, there is still little awareness of sustainability among consumers across Europe, writes the FSO.
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