Tablets are quite a new phenomenon, and the number of tablets in the electronic waste statistics is still quite small, but history shows that it will catch up.
How can we prepare for this upcoming trend responsibly to save mother earth? Here is a random fact for you: A few years ago, when the personal computer was at its peak, we were all imagining that these personal computers were the greatest thing since television, that it was going to be irreplaceable in our lives, and that they would last forever.
Well after that trend passed, out came the new guys in the block: the laptops, then the netbooks, and today we have the tablets.
Every year something new comes along, and we should expect this to remain true for the tech industry for years to come, and while this is great for development purposes, the amount of electronic waste that we leave behind for this "progress" is astonishing! Today, the laptop and computer industry is being overtaken by the tablet industry.
Thinner and more convenient electronics are the in thing today, and with every new thing, the old must make way.
Well guess what? Around 85 percent of electronic products end up discarded after just a few years.
That is quite a turnover for just consumer electronics.
This is the kind of society we have, and it will not be long before we start throwing away these "technological advancements" today for something that comes along in the future.
Do we really need to make way for the next in thing in technology right away? Even though new electronics that are being made are getting smaller and smaller, and the price to obtain them are getting cheaper, it does not mean we should drop what we have now to get the next new "in" thing.
The world is getting more and more technologically advanced so fast, that the production levels of these new consumer electronics can be enough to cause Mother Nature to yelp in pain.
The extreme amount of lead and mercury from these tablets alone can cause damage to both the environment and to people if not disposed of properly.
So before that happens, we should already have the foresight to plan how we can save these tablets from ending up in landfills or incinerators.
The message will always be "Reduce, Reuse, Recycle", but when will the message be strong enough for everyone to actually take action and do their part in reducing this phenomena called electronic waste? I hope that when the next big thing comes out, the tablets in your household find its way into another person's hands, or to a recycling center for proper disposal.
How can we prepare for this upcoming trend responsibly to save mother earth? Here is a random fact for you: A few years ago, when the personal computer was at its peak, we were all imagining that these personal computers were the greatest thing since television, that it was going to be irreplaceable in our lives, and that they would last forever.
Well after that trend passed, out came the new guys in the block: the laptops, then the netbooks, and today we have the tablets.
Every year something new comes along, and we should expect this to remain true for the tech industry for years to come, and while this is great for development purposes, the amount of electronic waste that we leave behind for this "progress" is astonishing! Today, the laptop and computer industry is being overtaken by the tablet industry.
Thinner and more convenient electronics are the in thing today, and with every new thing, the old must make way.
Well guess what? Around 85 percent of electronic products end up discarded after just a few years.
That is quite a turnover for just consumer electronics.
This is the kind of society we have, and it will not be long before we start throwing away these "technological advancements" today for something that comes along in the future.
Do we really need to make way for the next in thing in technology right away? Even though new electronics that are being made are getting smaller and smaller, and the price to obtain them are getting cheaper, it does not mean we should drop what we have now to get the next new "in" thing.
The world is getting more and more technologically advanced so fast, that the production levels of these new consumer electronics can be enough to cause Mother Nature to yelp in pain.
The extreme amount of lead and mercury from these tablets alone can cause damage to both the environment and to people if not disposed of properly.
So before that happens, we should already have the foresight to plan how we can save these tablets from ending up in landfills or incinerators.
The message will always be "Reduce, Reuse, Recycle", but when will the message be strong enough for everyone to actually take action and do their part in reducing this phenomena called electronic waste? I hope that when the next big thing comes out, the tablets in your household find its way into another person's hands, or to a recycling center for proper disposal.