Refurbished electronics: the key to sustainable technology
We love our electronics, don’t we? And we certainly can’t live without them as technology has become a part of our everyday lives. Not only do we spend most of the time on these devices but we also have high technology adoption rates as well.
Unfortunately, the increasing use of technology is becoming a huge hurdle and causing a serious impact on the environment in the form of landfills filled with e-waste, air and water pollution, and high energy consumption.
But hey! Look at the bright side, there are ways to get the technology in a sustainable way like buying refurbished ones. These refurbished electronics help us to continue using the technology without causing any impact on the environment.
Let’s dig a little deeper into the meaning of refurbished electronics and why it’s the better option.
What does refurbished electronics mean?
‘Refurbished’ refers to an item or a product that has been mended and repaired. The aim of refurbishment is to convert the item into a like-new condition. Some common refurbishment practices include replacing cracked screens, swapping old defective parts for new ones, etc. However, there is no limit on the number of fixes as it completely depends on the product’s condition.
The common reasons why products get refurbished are as follows:
- Items returned due to damage and defect
- Products unfit for sale due to damages during handling and shipping
- Open box items
- Demo items used for display in events and retail stores
Why should I choose refurbished items?
Additionally, to shed light on this topic, here’s a quick rundown that can help to give the edge to refurbished items and why you should go for it:
- Reduces carbon footprint
In addition to increasing waste in our landfills and polluting the environment, the manufacturing of new electronics requires a good amount of energy. According to a report, over 90% of the total energy impact is caused by the manufacturing and distribution of smartphones. From mining core minerals for the manufacturing process to transporting the finished goods, a huge amount of energy is consumed just to get a single product on the store shelf.
Therefore, refurbished electronics are the best option as it reuses old parts and reduces the energy consumption required to manufacture new ones.
- Creates less e-waste
Old electronics are no doubt considered the major source of waste globally. Currently, only 20% of the e-wastes are recycled and the rest are incinerated. Do you know what’s even worse? We can easily prevent a huge part of these wastes by taking all the necessary measures.
Buying refurbished electronics helps to reduce e-waste and keeps the old electronics out of landfill. When the electronic devices get refurbished, they meet manufacturer standards and are reconditioned to be as new so that the old electronics can live a few more years.
- Reduces our reliance on core minerals
The electronics are made up of materials like silicon, silver, lithium, gold, and rare earth elements which need to be mined from the earth. Some materials like cobalt are in short supply of which there is an estimated 40-year supply left. The mining of these materials has a huge negative impact on the planet.
Refurbished electronics reuse the manufactured parts which helps to reduce the need for additional minerals.
- Creates less air and water pollution
The mining of materials for the manufacturing of electronics requires a significant amount of water and causes a lot of water pollution. This process sends tons of hazardous toxins into our water and air.
Refurbished items that use recycled parts produce less pollution than manufacturing new ones.
Conclusion
To sum up everything that has been stated so far, Refurbishment is an excellent way to cut costs and help the environment. People from different fields like business owners like refurbished electronics over new products for a million reasons.
Also, if you want to know more about sustainable practices and drive a moment towards a sustainable world, join our sustainable brands community.
Prachi, an accomplished Chief-Editor at The Sustainable Brands Journal, has 15+ years of experience in Europe, the Middle East, and India, managing 90+ global sustainable brands. She’s a prolific writer in sustainability, contributing to various publications. Prachi’s unwavering passion and expertise make her a recognized authority, driving positive change and inspiring a sustainable future.
