Want Not Waste Not

This week's readings focus on waste reduction and predominantly recycling. But I want to de-emphasize recycling (though still important) and re-emphasize reusing. While this is a not a common problem to your average eco enthusiast, many everyday folks don't realize that recycling isn't the main proponent in the "Reduce, Reuse, Recycle" saying, it is the last. We all know that we need to reduce, I mean heck, I talk about it pretty much all over this blog. Always keep in the back of your mind "How can I reduce my footprint?". But then comes reusing. It is often forgotten and recycling is focused on because most of us remember the blue bin in our first grade classroom that we put all our construction paper scraps in. So I am going to shift to reusing. 

Our reading had a lot about reduction which I 

found fascinating, but I got drawn to the section on electronic reuse. With the whole fuss about the new iPhone 5 coming out, and people camping in line, and acting like nut cases for a little hand held gadget that quite frankly doesn't do much more than the iPhone 4 really, strikes me as interest. 

A cellphone doesn't go "bad" it just goes out of style. So what are you going to do with your iPhone 4 now, since you have been tirelessly waiting in line for the epic release of the iPhone 5? Are you going to chuck it in the trash, or just leave it in an empty drawer? WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO? And you better not say trash it or disassemble it!

The popular non-profit organization Greenpeace tested the iPhone in 2007 to determine if it was as green as Apple has been saying it was, and they were unpleasantly surprised. In many components of the phone phthalates and brominated compounds which when burned turn into dioxins were found in tests conducted by an outside laboratory sponsored by Greenpeace. According to WHO, "Dioxins are highly toxic and can cause reproductive and developmental problems, damage the immune system, interfere with hormones and also cause cancer." They are even in what environmentalists call "the dirty dozen" when it comes to persistent organic pollutants. Basically they are really dangerous. Even more, Greenpeace found that the iPhone had a battery soldered into it so you couldn't even recycle it yourself if you want to replace the battery and continue to use it granted that was all in 2007.

I wanted to find out how eco friendly the new iPhone 5 is since Apple has a mission to be as green as much as they can. In their reports they claim that the new iPhone 5 and the iPhone 4 both are mercury, arsenic, BFR, and PVC free which is great because those were what was causing dioxins. But lets take notice to the follow:

Click on the image for the full iPhone 4S report from Apple

Click on the image for the full iPhone 5 report from Apple

Did you notice a 20 kg CO2e spike from the iPhone 4S to the iPhone 5! That is roughly the weight of an average 4 year old! WOW Apple... really sounds like you are committed to being green.

So I obviously started googling to find a way to reuse or recycle an old iPhone because let's be honest that is a lot of CO2e.

So what are some of your reusing options you ask?

1. Re-Sell your iPhone on eBay

... and make some $ back for the ridiculous amount you spent on this one

2. Turn your cell into a Remote using a simple app. 

Yup, it is really easy and since you most likely have a bunch of Apple products it will work for your iTunes and Apple TV so you don't have to buy one. Other apps will give your more expandable functions as well.

3. Don't buy a Kindle... Just download the app... it's even FREE! 

You won't need to spend more on an iPad or a Kindle when you can download it for free and use just your old iPhone exclusively as your new E-Reader. It is even more convenient because it is smaller.

4. Turn it into your fancy new alarm clock using just a dock (which you probably already own anyways)

Why wake up to a screaming buzzer when you can wake up to some sweet tunes. Your old iPhone already has your 10,000 song library on it, so wake up to a new song every day and use it exclusively as your alarm clock.

But if none of these are your cup of tea, and you prefer to drink the Koolaid then you can always 

5. Recycle it with Apple. 

They offer a buyback program in concordance with PowerON where they estimate the value of your phone, you ship it in, and then receive a gift card to spend on Apple retail. So, not too bad of a trade off if you were going to get rid of your phone anyways; I guess you could always spend the gift card on a new adapter you are going to need since all of your accessories aren't going to work on your new iPhone 5. But hey, you recycled and that was on the of things that Captain Planet taught your right? Or was that your Kindergarten teacher?

Either way, no matter whether you traded your phone in, are still reusing it, or someone else is, it isn't leaking dioxins into the environment. Which was the main point I wanted to get across here. Capitalism, though necessary for our economy, and part of the American culture, doesn't need to be environmentally unfriendly. Sending your stuff back to Apple is kind of a great idea. It is going to get reused in another new i*insert another totally cool thing, like CAR here* and help me sleep a little better at night. With natural resources depleting, and everyone having excess things they don't even use there is no reason why we shouldn't Reduce, Reuse, and yes I am saying it Recycle. 

So way to do your part Apple... Well kind of... but not really. 

What can I say, I am still a Capitalistic American... But hey I still care!

P.S. I don't own an iPhone, I bought a used HTC on eBay and gave my old one to a friend who broke theirs! So see. It is really possible.

P.P.S. I feel totally accomplished right now because I did all the aforementioned phone jazz without even realizing I was recycling and reusing!

-Stephanie