Phones are what every American might consider a typical everyday object. It's something we use without thinking twice. However, when these devices are used by millions of people every day, the problem of how to properly dispose of them begins to arise. Due to the lithium contained in the batteries, phones, if not disposed of correctly, are harmful to the environment and can even explode. This may be overlooked by many as there are now many ways to properly dispose of smartphones. Ways to properly dispose of smartphones include exchanging them at select stores, reselling them for cash, and even simply repairing them yourself. dispose As noted in the Vox video titled “Why Your Old Phones Collect in the Junk Drawer of Sadness,” we can delve deeper into this problem and its solutions. As a consumer of technology, phones are used almost every day, but with this use also comes great responsibility. Smartphones are undoubtedly a common object in the 21st century. With nearly 1.4 billion phones purchased every year, that can add up to tons of waste and toxic materials. “About 80% of greenhouse gas emissions from a smartphone happen before it even reaches our hands.” As stated earlier by “M Sanjayn”, UCLA Visiting Research Fellow and Senior Scientist; these greenhouse gases are harmful to the environment. These emissions increase the negative impacts of global warming. It also says: “Cargo ships produce the same amount of carbon gas, for every car in the world, for every voyage.” This quote not only shows the astronomical amount of gases released by simply carrying a phone, but also compares the size quality to an even greater amount. A cargo ship, weighing hundreds to thousands of tons, transported across the oceans causes oil spills and other horrific disasters. Sanjayn also talks about his personal use and the hordes of old "junk phones". Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay At the beginning of the video he goes on to say, “Everyone has one of these (a drawer full of old phones and other old gadgets), it's like a phone graveyard,” (Sanjayn 0:02). By stating this, it can connect to its target audience of everyday gadget users on a more personal level. This way it connects to the audience on a more emotional level and by using it at the beginning, it helps the viewer not feel guilty about hoarding old devices. He goes on to explain how quickly technology is evolving, “we use technology today and it's being innovated so fast and built this way. which actually promotes disposability,” (Sanjayn, 7:11). The technology used every day evolves so rapidly, to the point that it is seen by large companies, like Apple or IMS, where it is practically useless not to continue the upgrades. This led to many users improperly disposing of their phones or even holding onto them when they were no longer wanted or needed burned, exposure to smoke and gases creates a domino effect that adds to greenhouse gas emissions. These upgrades can be easily fixed, as shown later in the video, by "IFIXIT". simply open it and do the repairs yourself. This way you can save money and be able to maintain your phone without having to pay hundreds of dollars for itnewest phone. Many consumers probably wouldn't want to disassemble their phones. Whether it's because they don't pay for it themselves or because their smartphone has no way to open it. However, there are alternative and cheaper solutions on how to save and repair your phone without the hassle of buying a new one. "IFIXIT" has a brand of phones titled "Fairphone". These phones make it easier for the consumer to repair their phone themselves. As opposed to spending hundreds of dollars on a new phone. Sanjayn states in the video that most phones would be less complicated to fix or repair if there were just a few steps to do it yourself. A self-repairable phone also offers the chance to not only save money, but also prevent landfills from filling up with toxic lithium batteries. Yet not everyone has this option available, especially considering the fact that these phones are only available in Europe. Other options for how to properly dispose of cell phones include returning them to the stores where you purchased them. For many phone plans, after purchasing a phone you have the option to upgrade it after a certain number of years. This way, after a few years you can exchange your old phone for a new one. “In New York and California, stores that sell you a cell phone are required to accept it back for recycling” (5 p.m.). This means that when you purchase a cell phone from a store you originally purchased it from, you can return it and these specific stores will send it to the appropriate recycling facilities. As for the rest of the other options, it includes stores like Gazelle that will buy old phones. That said, any old phones that are no longer in use can be sold for a profit instead of throwing money away. However, there are still questions about what happens when these devices are resold or returned. Much of the waste contained in phones is considered "E-Waste". This is best explained by repair expert Gwendolyn Gay, "(phones will create) toxic waste, and if we send it to a place that recycles it... we still don't get all of it out of it." (4:23 ). This helps explain how various parts of a phone are toxic even when recycled. Gas leaks and lead infiltrations can therefore also occur in the environment in which we live. Especially when it comes to phone batteries which can explode due to their lithium content. University of California researchers like Marcus Worseley are working on longer-lasting batteries, so that electronic waste like lithium isn't susceptible to exploding or even overheating. He states, “There is the potential that you can… design the battery to improve its performance… (and) with 3D printing (you can) print a battery into any shape we want,” (6:11). Through 3D printing of batteries you can store as much energy as you want along with storage. Sanjayn adds, “these batteries would be made using…graphene…(which eliminates) harmful extraction of materials like lithium” (6:41). This shows how dangerous lithium is not only for mining, but amplifies the danger of using it in a cell phone battery. Knowing this, many parents with teenagers may not want their children to get phones with lithium batteries. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay The concept of this video is to promote cell phone sustainability and cell phone disposal. Helps showcase phone usage and narrow down the scope by simply providing more options on how to dispose and reuse.