In the wake of CES and the debut of numerous new and innovative gadgets, consumers might have the urge to upgrade their current mobile devices. But before users toss discarded phones into a nearby trash bin they would be wise to note the importance of recycling their old devices. As reported in Good Technology, there is heightened attention on responsibly disposing of old electronics and recycling these devices has grown into a five billion dollar industry in the United States alone.
There's long been talk -- and a shared social commitment -- to 'going green' and reducing our carbon footprint. But as U.S. leaders talk about the clean energy future, there's also rising angst around how much progress we can make in today's economic climate. Against a backdrop of bad news, from the economy to the weather, we now have much-needed good news from the Carbon Disclosure Project on how broadband can advance two shades of green -- boosting our economy and our environment.
The London-based non-profit recently released Building a 21st Century Communications Economy, a report exploring the correlation between the economic and environmental benefits of broadband, including fast-growing mobile connectivity. The bottom line? "The most competitive economies of tomorrow will be those that see the resource constraints we face today as an opportunity, and revolutionize the way they operate to generate increased value using fewer resources."
The report outlines that investment and deployment of fixed and mobile broadband can be a powerful driver of just such a transformation to a "dematerialized economy." It goes on to make the case for a strong push in the U.S. for universal connectivity to accelerate not only a healthier future for our planet, but also for our economy.
The report focuses on the fact that the broadband-fueled information, communications and technology industries are growing at a much faster pace than the overall economy. Between 2004 and 2006, the U.S. economy grew at about 3.2% per year. Yet the tech sector was in double-digits, expanding more than 11%, the report shows. And, tech continues to lead growth today where we need it most -- job creation. In fact, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics June jobs numbers noted a nationwide unemployment rate of 9.2%, compared to just 3.3% in the tech sector.
So how exactly can greater broadband connectivity help create jobs and green the planet? Among the report's key findings:
• Information and communications technology (ICT) could help the U.S. reduce greenhouse gas emissions annually by up to 22%, while also saving businesses and consumers up to $240 billion in reduced energy consumption costs.
• Broadband-based applications, such as teleconferencing and eco-friendly e-commerce, are leading the progress as they change how we live, work and do business. According to the American Consumer Institute, approximately 1 billion metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions will be prevented over a 10-year period thanks to these applications. That energy savings adds up to 66% of annual U.S. oil imports.
The Carbon Disclosure Project rightly declares that we are in the middle of a "network driven communications revolution." And, it contains broad possibilities both for our economy and for the sustainability of our planet. To make the most of this opportunity, the group makes a powerful case for building out strong networks -- and ensuring all Americans can connect to them.
Just as our leaders ask Americans to connect and do their part for our economy and the environment, so should policymakers step up to the plate. From current efforts in Washington to reorient the Universal Service program around broadband connectivity to the urgent race that's underway to unlock more spectrum to ensure the mobile Internet can continue to grow and fuel innovation, Washington doesn't have to look far for reminders that the tools are well within our grasp to connect to a low-carbon future.
Jonathan Spalter, chairman of Mobile Future, has been founding CEO of leading technology, media, and research companies, including Public Insight, Snocap, and Atmedica Worldwide. He served as an advisor to and spokesperson for Vice President Al Gore during the Clinton administration.
Mobile Future is a 501(c)(4) coalition comprised of and supported by technology businesses, non-profit organizations and individuals dedicated to advocating for an environment in which innovations in wireless technology and services are enabled and encouraged. For a full list of members and sponsors and to learn more about the coalition, go to www.mobilefuture.org.
On Tuesday, August 30th Mobile Future will be hosting a webinar featuring The Carbon Disclosure Project’s new white paper, “Building a 21st Century Communications Economy” which highlights how we can create a more equitable, higher growth, lower carbon economy by investing in an advanced communications network that will enable a fundamental change in how we live, work and play and create an economy that is not limited by time, space or geography.
This upcoming webinar puts the spotlight on how investment in a robust, reliable, high-speed broadband network will leverage the innovation and leadership of technology companies to produce breakthroughs that impact the economy by cutting costs, stimulating job creation, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, decreasing reliance on foreign oil and increasing access to goods and services.
Since our everyday choices affect our carbon footprint, many individuals have pledged go “go green” to help mitigate waste. In addition to recycling cans, bottles and paper goods, waste-conscious individuals will be happy to know they can add their mobile phones to the ever-growing list of recyclable items.
As a recent WSJ article noted, more companies are getting into the business of refurbishing and reselling recycled cell phones and electronic devices. ReCellular Inc.--one of the largest cell phone refurbishers in the country-- resold or recycled 5.2 million cell phones last year alone. Steve Manning, ReCellular’s chief executive, predicts that the used market for cell phones could account for 20% of all mobile phone sales in coming years.
To learn more about mobile device recycling click here.
Earth Day is this week so what better time to take stock of the ways that mobile products can help make a greener planet.
A 2009 national traffic survey concluded that Americans wasted 4.2 billion hours and 2.8 billion gallons of gas stuck in traffic jams. But some areas are starting to get a more efficient handle on traffic thanks to wireless. Take Los Angeles County, which has recently deployed a wireless monitoring system across more than 1,000 intersections.
The wireless system allows traffic managers to change traffic light timing instantly to reflect changing traffic conditions, including rush hour patterns and accidents. The result has been a reduction in commuting times by as much as 20 percent.
Speaking of saving gas, look at the environmental impact from the decision by Arizona Public Service (APS), Arizona's largest electric utility, to install wireless utility transmitters on homes and offices. With more than 160,000 wireless smart meters already installed, APS has estimated that its savings include 150,000 fewer field visits. The utility has committed to deploying about 1 million wireless meters by the end of 2012.
Even beyond green benefits of fewer trucks on the road, the integration of wireless monitoring systems into a home or building electrical system pays almost immediate dividends. Let's say you left on a week's vacation and forgot to turn off the AC or water heater. No problem: There are smartphone apps for different mobile operating systems that let you turn off (or on) the heating, AC, water heater, or security cameras. For a few options, click here.)
Closer to home, wireless technologies are increasingly saving patients from having to drive to a doctor's office, not to mention providing better care. For the elderly and the infirm especially, these can be major benefits.
Also encouraging, wireless users are also seeing more evidence of the convergence of mobile phone chargers, so that you won't need to throw out a charger when you switch phones. All the major phone manufacturers have committed to this by 2012 and it looks like consumers may not even have to wait that long.
But for all the benefits of recycling, the best way to help the environment is by giving your old phone to someone who needs it. Cell Phones for Soldiers is a great organization that will take your old phone, wipe off any data and uses the sale proceeds to purchase at least an hour of calling time for soldiers abroad.
Finally, are you the type who leaves your phone charging all night and then leaves the charger plugged in even after removing the phone? Based on research into "standby" electricity consumption by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, if there are 50 million phone adapters in the U.S. left plugged in all year, that uses more than 100 million kilowatts of electricity - or enough for the average yearly electrical needs of 25,000 Americans.
Take an Earth Day resolution right now: Unplug your chargers!
Device recycling is crucial not only in mitigating waste, but also in providing reusable materials that serve as the basis of new electronic models.
The EPA teamed up with eight phone manufacturers, retailers and other programs for National Cell Phone Recycling Week:
AT&T
Best Buy
LG
RecycleBank
Samsung
Sprint
T-Mobile
Verizon
We also want to call attention to Cell Phones for Soliders, a non-profit program that sends old cell phones to active service members, which we have previously highlighted on the Mobile Future blog.
Last year, Americans recycled 11.7 million phones to commemorate the week; this year, hopefully we can top that number.
If you're in need of a holiday gift for that environmentally conscious mobile user who just got back from the summit in Copenhagen, here's a thought: a carbon-neutral phone from Motorola. According to the company, the plastic case of the Renew is made entirely of recycled water bottles and its packaging is made from 100 percent recycled material. Moreover, according to the CNet reviewers, it's actually a pretty decent phone.
Are you due for your next cell phone upgrade? Do you crave the new ‘must have' Blackberry or iPhone? Is the only thing holding you back your inability to part ways with your current device? The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has announced that this week is National Cell Phone Recycling Week. Now you can now easily recycle your old mobile phone and receive credits for a new one, or contribute to a variety of charitable causes.
From now through Friday, all major carriers will be accepting consumer's old mobile devices in retail stores or by mail, and in turn will be donating proceeds from the recycled phones to various charities including Cell Phones for Soldiers and the Boys and Girls Clubs of America.
The EPA aims to give wireless consumers an easy and eco-friendly way to recycle old phones and help out fellow Americans. If you participate, don't forget to restore the phones to the factory settings, remove the SIM cards, and of course, terminate or transfer your service.
We're making progress: "Until now, there have been few models available of so-called green, or environmentally friendly, mobile phones.... That is slowly changing, as the mobile phone industry looks for ways to appeal to a growing segment of consumers who want to reduce their carbon footprints."
According to The Times, there won't be any completely "green" phones unveiled at the Mobile Word Congress this week in Barcelona. That's still a couple of years away, at least for affordable ones. But look at other innovations:
A light sensor that detects natural light, allowing phones to save energy.
A phone made from recycled water bottles which can itself be recycled when it's no longer used.
A charger that draws a fraction of the power of most chargers when plugged into an outlet, but not to a phone. (It's still better to unplug your charger when it's not in use.)
So progress is coming and the additional cost of being green keeps dropping. Call it a hunch but that's a trend certain to continue.
Want to help a military family that can't afford a mobile phone? Or a domestic abuse victim? Then donate that old phone that's been sitting unused for the past six months. You're not only doing a good deed but as Rachel King wrote in Business Week last week, you're also helping the environment:
"The EPA estimates that if the 100 million U.S. mobile devices eligible for refurbishing were actually recycled this year, we could save enough to power more than 194,000 U.S. households with electricity for one year."
Some may be concerned about exposing their personal data. After all, there was the sales director for a major Japanese firm who gave away a Blackberry with unencrypted sensitive information, including a business plan.
But no need to worry. Here's a place with free instructions on erasing your data.
So since you don't have to worry about your data anymore, go ahead and donate. By the holidays, someone in need will thank you.
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Tags: Consumer Awareness, Consumer Benefits, Green Mobile, News, Smartphone, Wireless Innovation, Green Technology