The negative environmental impacts of producing and manufacturing electrical items are a commonplace. The waste material which is created and the energy used up in the extraction of raw materials used for manufacturing cars, trucks and planes damages biodiversity and pollutes the environment, with dangerous effects on people, the environment and the global economy. Perhaps because we know this all too well, not enough is being done, both by industries and individuals, to alter the current situation.
Many people do not realise that, in specific, the raw materials and energy used in the manufacturing of mobile phones significantly contributes to the degenerating state of the natural environment. Extracting raw materials like precious metals involves moving large amounts of rock and gold and as a consequence, as much as 100kg of mine-waste is created to extract enough gold for a single mobile phone circuit board. And this not only necessitates a massive amount of energy; it also causes pollution because of the use of dangerous materials.
It is therefore extremely encouraging that many mobile phone companies such as Vodafone are developing several “green” initiatives to lessen the emission of dangerous CO2 emissions by as much as 50% by 2020. Also, Vodafone has created several policies that aim to manage and decrease the dangerous environmental impacts of phone manufacturing. It works with its suppliers to encourage them to make phones smaller, so as to require less raw material, as well as directing companies in the process of designing new phone designs that work towards getting rid of substances damaging to the environment.
Because Western society demands a constant flow of cash to support its structure of supply and demand, through advertising and other forms of commercial manipulation major manufacturers and businesses exert pressure on their consumers to buy the latest model of car, the most recent and fast-functioning computer and the newest phone design. This means that, in the mobile phone industry, most people with high-income jobs replace their handset every 18 months, completely getting rid of old phones that usually have nothing wrong with them. Look to these companies such as Vodafone and visit their site to explore how they aim to keep their products a little greener - as well as designing accessories such as batteries, chargers and headsets to reduce waste, extend the life of still-useful components and, finally, reduce the need for energy and raw materials to make new phones. You can also find out about the latest phones, including HTC.
Reconsidering the ways in which mobile phones are manufactured as well phone recycling can effect very real improvements to the environment. Though many are aware of the negative consequences of using up energy and raw materials, it is still the case that they have not yet realised the easy-to-adopt methods of preventing these problems.
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