Sustainability: A Follow Up...

(Photo by Pixabay: https://www.pexels.com/photo/scenic-view-of-agricultural-field-against-sky-during-sunset-325944/)

Sustainability has become a term that is being used very often, considering the issue of global pollution.

Sustainability ensures that the current resources are used effectively to reduce the need for more raw resources.

Similarly, the phrases sustainable technology and sustainable electronics are crucial considerations.

The 2023 fourth quarterly electrical waste /electronic waste for the United Kingdom was reported to be 114,000 tons (https://www.statista.com/statistics/517657/household-ewaste-united-kingdom-uk/).

With this in mind, the need for sustainable technology is crucial.

Sustainable technology can be considered a technology that uses sustainable energy and/or materials.

Factories and other electrical devices that utilize sustainable energy sources can arguably be considered sustainable technology. Some examples are devices that use solar, wind, and rechargeable batteries.

(Photo by Kervin Edward Lara: https://www.pexels.com/photo/white-wind-turbines-on-gray-sand-near-body-of-water-3976320/)

Many companies have moved towards utilizing sustainable materials. This will reduce the need to mine raw materials and may reduce pollution produced during production. Examples of this include using recycled papers and recycled materials(https://utech.co/blog/eco-friendly-electronics/).

(Photo by Artem Podrez: https://www.pexels.com/photo/light-bulb-paper-cup-plate-forks-and-recycling-pictograph-6990568/)

Another way to have sustainable electronics is to recycle and refurbish devices that would be thrown away as e-waste. Our goal at the Hendricks Foundation is to bridge the digital divide by recycling and refurbishing old/ damaged devices.