New Generation of Students is Teaching us How to Reduce E-Waste

Living with my sister and my nephew has been an education. A few days ago, I saw my nephew in the living room, checking the dismantled parts of an old iPod. I thought he broke it and approached him, saying, “Looks like someone is in trouble.” To my utter surprise, he said, “Why would I be? I’m just trying to repair a broken iPod as part of a school project on e-waste reduction.”

Later, when I searched online to read up about the e-waste problem, I found many colleges and universities are already encouraging students to repair and reuse their old gadgets to reduce the impact of e-waste problems. Even the electronic engineering assignment help services online are encouraging to do the same. I also found the e-waste problem is steadily increasing around the world. According to this data, the amount of e-waste generation globally is estimated to increase 50 million tons by 2020, with annual growth between 4% and 5%.

So, it makes sense for educational institutions to teach students the importance of sensible consumption of electronics. In fact, my smart nephew taught me a thing or two about how students are encouraged to reduce the e-waste problem in the world, the details of which I’ve presented below.

Give your electronic gadgets some TLC 

One of the most pertinent ways to reduce e-waste and save your money is to keep your electronics properly maintained. You’ll find the following ideas useful in this case.

See to it that your PC’s hard drive or SSD doesn’t become full. This enables your computer to keep running smoothly for a long time. Also, clean the exterior of your computer often so that it’s not dirt. Try not to overcharge your PC’s battery as that will improve the battery’s overall lifespan.

Make sure you have a phone case and screen protector attached to your phone so that it doesn’t break when you drop it. Like your laptops, keep your phones clean as well and don’t always fully charge your battery if you don’t need to ensure a better battery lifespan.

Learn to fix broken gadgets yourself

Many of our electronic gadgets are easier to repair. Moreover, it’s fun to learn how to tinker with them and make them work again. In this case, Xboxes and iPods are really good projects, to begin with.

You can learn how to repair things by using the elaborate guides from iFixit, which is a group that thinks it’s cool to repair stuff yourself, so they write free, easy-to-follow step-by-step repair guides and have video tutorials as well. You can ask your teachers or parents to help set up a gadget repair project or club.

By learning to repair your electronics at home, you will acquire more detailed knowledge of the hardware of your device.

Sell electronic waste as used goods

One of the most efficient and feasible ways of reducing your electronic waste is to sell it. With the magic called the Internet and the increasing popularity of e-commerce, you can easily sell a wide variety of goods and services.

In fact, students can start selling their used electronics hardware by creating an online store by using platforms like Shopify, for instance. Shopify itself deals in all kinds of hardware like POS systems, barcode scanners, and other gadgets which will let you sell your used electronics at a fixed rate.

You can take part in online auctions as well by making your electronic gadgets available to competitive bidders worldwide. As the old saying goes, one man’s scraps can be another man’s treasure.

Less (consumption) is more effective 

Who doesn’t want to buy a sleek TV, or the latest mobile phone or a brand-new laptop? You may not even spare a second thought to understand if you really need them. This way, you’re simply contributing to the growing e-waste problem in the world.

If you’re contemplating buying a new phone even though your old one is in perfect condition, why not simply upgrade the software instead? Being sensible about consumption will go a long way in managing the e-waste of your household.

Take all the waste to a recycling center

Rather than quickly throw away your electronic waste into the nearest garbage truck or dumpster, another pertinent way to dispose of these products is by handing them over to a local recycling center. You should be able to find useful information from the official website of your local government.

In fact, you’ll find several electronic retailers have recycling centers and programs of their own. They even offer rewards and incentives to consumers that decide to offer their old inactive electronic gadgets to them. Before getting involved with any of these centers, you must research and make sure that they are legitimate.

Spread the word about it

Let’s assume you’ve been faithful in your attempt to minimize electronic waste. You’re trying to repair your defective gadgets and donating your outdated ones, among other things.

You’re doing your part, and that’s incredible. Now, it’s time you share your knowledge with other people who may be less aware of the perils of e-waste. Next time you find an acquaintance improperly disposing of an old computer or buying a new smartphone for no reason, educate them on the detrimental effect of their actions.

Also, allow these people to have a reason to act on your advice. For instance, if you know of a place nearby where they can donate old electronics, make sure to let them know. One simple conversation on reducing electronic waste can make a huge difference.

Winding it up

Teaching students the significance of reducing e-waste is going to help them make sustainable choices in the future. This, in turn, can contribute to a better tomorrow where future generations will thrive and prosper.