Doing more things digitally should be good for the environment, but there’s a lot of hardware waste out there. According to this article, the amount of electronics waste has tripled in Canada since 2003. Yikes.
The dream is that technology will allow us to consume less, ship fewer things all over the world, and save us trips to the bank or travel agent, etc. While these are all true, we love the latest, shiniest, and most functional tech toys. Ditching your old hardware for what’s new has become a way of life for many of us. But this attitude comes at a cost.
Be proud of your cracked screen! Rejoice in your inability to update the apps you don’t really need! Celebrate the money you will save and the world you will improve!
The reality of tech waste
300 million computers and 1 BILLION cellphones are manufactured every year to meet our demand. This results in over 40 million tons of e-waste which is also 70% of annual toxic waste disposal.
Source: The World Counts
What questions can we explore?
-What countries does most of this e-waste come from? Where does it end up?
-Do you recycle, re-sell, or just throw away your old computer, tablet, or cell phone?
-Do you buy new hardware before you really need it? Why?
-Are there some easy ways to reduce your e-waste?
-Do you feel social pressure to have the latest iPhone or gaming system?
-How much money would I save by waiting to buy new tech toys? If I invested it in the tech company instead, how much would I end up with in 10, 20, 30 years?
Kermode Education Can Help You Explore This Topic and More!
Contact the Kermode Education team today to see how our eLearning platform can help your kids or your students improve their digital literacy skills.
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