The Conscious Consumer Shops for Electronics

Perhaps it's rather un-environmentalistic of me (yes, I know that's not a word), but I never leave the house without my cell phone. In this busy society, this global marketplace, this email-text-tweet-Facebook me world we live in, going without a cell phone just doesn't seem to be a viable option anymore. And, more unfortunately, cell phones really aren't made to last. They break or become obsolete seemingly faster than we can buy them, and this contributes to the excess of toxic chemicals, metals, and plastic in our landfills.

Still, there are ways to be a conscious consumer when it comes to cell phones. First, there are cellular carriers who donate some, and even all, of their profits to progressive or environmental charities, which promote organics, sustainability, eco-friendly political policies, and the like. Availability varies by locality, so finding one does take some research.

Once you've selected a carrier, selecting a phone is truly a matter of personal choice, as there's just no such thing as an earth-friendly or organic cell phone. You can, however, minimize the negative impact of your cell phone by using a solar charger, or one with a universal charger, which reduces the need for new home, computer, and car cables every time you replace the phone.

When the time does come, there are plenty of ways to responsibly discard of your used phone. It need never land in the trash. Look to your local office supply store for a drop box, or research online for organizations that recycle unusable cell phones by disassembling them, recycling appropriate parts, and safely handling any hazardous materials that would otherwise end up in a landfill, leaching toxins into our groundwater. If your phone is still operable, there are many charities that will refurbish cell phones and give them a second life by sending them to soldiers serving overseas or people in need.

Cell phones are a bit of a necessary evil these days, and computers, as much as they simplify life in many ways, are much the same: easily outdated or broken, often costlier to fix than replace, and filled with materials hazardous to the earth when left to rot in a landfill. When replacing a computer, there are two main issues to address: what to buy and what to do with the old computer. Just as with a cell phone, computers should never be tossed in the garbage. Operable computers are accepted by any number of charities, and recycling programs are widely available for the rest.

Like most people, I have very little patience for computers that crash and need lots of maintenance because it's frankly just annoying. But more than that, poorly made computers are an environmental disaster. Their constant part replacement and the shipping involved in having them fixed is an unnecessary waste, and the excessive amount of plastic and toxic metals used in their construction is an organic blogger's worst nightmare. Thankfully, there are some decent options when it comes to computers.

Personally, I buy Apple products. I like that Apple has an entire section of their website dedicated to explaining their efforts to minimize the carbon footprint left by their company and its products. They manufacture, package, distribute, and recycle their products in the most environmentally conscious manner possible, use fewer toxic materials than most companies, and build their product housings out of recyclable metals, not plastic. Apple even offers a recycling program through which they take old computers and, as with the cell phones above, appropriately dispose of all the parts. There are certainly other environmentally conscious computer manufacturers, but the information on Apple's website will give you a good idea of what to look for when you want to buy a new computer while having as little impact on the planet as possible.

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