Care for the environment represents a challenge for all of humanity. It is a matter of a common and universal duty, that of respecting a common good, destined for all, by preventing anyone from using โwith impunity the different categories of beings, whether living or inanimateโanimals, plants, the natural elementsโsimply as one wishes, according to one’s own economic needs.โย (Compendium of the Social Doctrine of The Church, 466)
This is what the Churchโs Social Doctrine states regarding the protection of the environment.
We can imagine the spheres of human social relations, as discussed in the Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church, as if they were concentric circles: at the center is the human person, and then, gradually expanding outward, there is the family, then work, society, the international community, and finally the environment that surrounds every human being. This concerns humanityโs responsibility in its relationshipsโwe might sayโwith regard to space, but there is also a dimension that extends into the future, concerning future generations.
Responsibility for the environment, the common heritage of mankind, extends not only to present needs but also to those of the future. โWe have inherited from past generations, and we have benefited from the work of our contemporaries: for this reason we have obligations towards all, and we cannot refuse to interest ourselves in those who will come after us, to enlarge the human family.โ This is a responsibility that present generations have towards those of the future, a responsibility that also concerns individual States and the international community. (Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church, 467)
Our responsibility toward future generations in safeguarding creation also extends to the way we produce, use, and dispose of electronic equipment. Every decision we make regarding digital devicesโfrom purchase to repair to recyclingโcontributes to the environmental impact we leave for those who come after us.
Energy Footprint of Devices: Smartphones, Televisions, Laptops
It is estimated that about 80% of households have at least one PC at home, 90% have a smartphone, and the number of digital devices is constantly growing.
The main stages of a deviceโs production cycle and lifecycle can be summarized as follows: the extraction of rare materials, production, transportation, use, and disposal. Each of these stages has an environmental impact in terms of sustainability, the availability of rare minerals, CO2 emissions, energy consumption, and the production and disposal of hazardous waste.
The use of digital devices has a significantly lower environmental impact compared to the stages related to production, transportation, and disposal. Therefore, it is strategically more effective to focus on this aspectโnamely, avoiding frequent replacement of cell phones unless necessary.
The European Union has begun to take measures to combat planned obsolescence through various directives, such as requiring durability and recyclability (the Ecodesign Directive) or ensuring greater and more accessible repair options (the Right to Repair Directive).
What Is Planned Obsolescence?
Planned obsolescence is a production strategy employed by companies that decide to give a product a limited lifespan, with the aim of profiting from higher sales volumes. To achieve this in the world of digital devices, various tactics are used: updates that slow down devices, new applications that are incompatible with older hardware, and poor repairability. These policies implemented by manufacturers accelerate the cycle of replacement and new purchases.
Discarded devices contribute to the growing volume of electronic waste (e-waste or WEEE, Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment)โincluding computers, phones, and household appliancesโone of the fastest-growing waste streams, which requires special disposal. Inside them are toxic materials such as lead and mercury, which are harmful to the environment and human health, but also valuable raw materials (copper, gold) that can be recovered through recycling.
In fact, recovering valuable materials from discarded devices could be a way to promote sustainability. In the Dutch city of Breda, they have entrusted this task to a robot named Daisy. It was built to extract valuable materials from discarded smartphones. It is interesting to note that it is capable of recovering, from one metric ton of printed circuit boards, flexible electronics, and camera modules, the same amount of gold and copper that would otherwise have to be extracted from 2,000 metric tons of rock.
In 2022, 62 million metric tons of electronic waste were generated. The amount of electronic waste generated is increasing by 2.3 million metric tons per year. Data for 2022 show that less than 25% of the total is collected and recycled.
Temperance in the Digital Age
When it comes to smartphones, 83% of their environmental impact stems not from their use but from the production and disposal processes.
It is estimated that a cell phone is replaced, on average, every 2โ3 years. This replacement rate creates a significant environmental impact that could be mitigated if the replacement of smartphones were delayed, even by just a few years.
From a Christian perspective, choosing to extend the lifespan of our digital devices is not merely an environmental decision but also an expression of stewardship of creation and the virtue of temperance. As emphasized in Laudato siโ, “On Care for our Common Home,” responsible consumption and the prudent use of technology are part of our commitment to the common good and to solidarity with future generations, who have the right to inherit a world in which natural resources are not squandered through unnecessary waste.
Before replacing your smartphone, itโs worth asking yourself whether the replacement is truly necessary. Whenever possible, extending the deviceโs lifespan through repair, upgrades, or simply more mindful use would represent a concrete contribution to environmental responsibility.
Photo by Shawn Rain on Unsplash
