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Collective Tsk

Regular readers with an interest in mobile phone street hacks and recycling are pointed to this survey (commissioned by my employer, take that as you will) that highlights the extremely low levels of phone recycling.

A couple of notes before I head out into the Beijing pre-Olympic smog mist: whilst a fair number of people say they aren't aware that mobile phones can be recycled - many of them end up in 'the back of the drawer' because they have sufficient perceived monetary and personal value to be retained - think of all that personal communication and associated memories enshrined in that little lump of plastic and mental, and there's probably also a financial incentive that forms part of that make-a-decision-of-what-to-do-with-it-moment. If it could be useful in the future, why get rid of it right? But very few actually end up in landfill, a common misconception. How does the perception of value of the object change as more applications and services shift to the cloud?

Any industry that mass produces (electronics) devices in such high volumes (a rough estimate 1,200,000,000 devices to be sold in 2008) needs to be able to offer consumers alternatives that are an active part of a sustainable solution - whether its how devices are manufacturered and powered, Remade, business models, broad shifts towards cradle to cradle thinking, a greater awareness of what happens to stuff generally, or regulation. For all the temptation there is to wag a knowing finger at manufacturers - recycling doesn't happen without you and is ultimately reflected by the purchasing decisions you make.

Photo? Usual first night out in Beijing yoof lariness.

Writing from Beijing | July 9, 2008 | Permalink