Back in 1985, Professor Carl Sagan appealed to the United States Congress, and popularised the climate change movement as he did. Our understanding of man-made climate change has increased significantly, but the awareness has been around for almost forty years. It was also the time in which technology enjoyed a huge boon thanks to the space race of the previous few decades.
Now, we have an entire movement, and several international events highlighting the need to be more aware of creating a more sustainable society. One of these is Earth Day, celebrated this year on Saturday April 22nd.
Technology and ecology have a complicated relationship: The UK has more e-waste than any other country in the world, and yet technology is how we’ve been able to move away from more traditional energy methods and explore renewable methods, opening the world to the idea of wind farms, electric cars and solar power. In 2022, Britain produced a record amount of wind power according to the National Grid, and with any luck, that number will continue to increase.
Setbacks of the use of technology
Using technology to further explore green energy also has its setbacks: when e-waste is not recycled and disposed of properly, then inevitably it will end up in landfill. This is where toxic substances are most likely to leak from batteries and components and cause significant damage to the environment, such as mercury. We live in a world that is almost impossible to imagine without the technology we currently use, and so learning to dispose of it and making our technology last longer is slowly but surely becoming a part of our day-to-day lives.
One way to tackle this is by upgrading your existing technology instead of trashing the entire thing and buying brand new. Often components may just need a deep clean and refurbish and they will work to the standard you need them too. You can save money by prolonging the life of your technology in this way.
Another way is to buy second hand and refurbished technology. A lot of outlets now offer refurbished and gently used technology goods. This is especially beneficial during the current cost of living crisis, so technology can be more affordable for those of us that may need the extra help. People who make games usually endeavour to have their games playable on as many machines as possible to maximise their markets, and so even if you don’t have the latest technology, there is a high chance you’ll still be able to play the latest releases.
And this is where DC Renewed can help.
DC Renewed
Since the start of the year, we’ve been running a service that offers to upgrade, clean and prolong your current technology, enabling it to live longer and allowing you to get more mileage from it. By helping our customers shop better, we in turn help lessen the e-waste produced by both business and residential consumers.
