by Winford Chang
In our huge world there are many, many ways in which we can damage our environment. Many of them are modern and human made, an example of that is E-waste, or electronic waste. Which is the electronics that we throw away and don’t use. Although the addition of new technology and innovations have greatly affected us in general in a good way there are also many by-products to the electronics we make and use on a daily basis.
Each year the amount of E-waste increases exponentially with the new amount of technology being made every year. Many of those new things that we make contain poisonous and toxic chemicals to our environment. Once thrown inside of a landfill the chemicals seep into the earth and the air slowly poisoning our world. Some of these dangerous things found in our electronics include lead, mercury, and cadmium and many other harmful chemicals. The threats that the E-waste pose to the environment also can affect us, the humans. Studies show that there is a link between the E-waste found in landfills and human respiratory health. Although it is most likely impossible to completely stop the increasing amount of E-waste in our world there are many ways to slow down the gradual increase. We can reuse our technology instead of throwing away a phone to get a year one every year, we can also get used products so they don’t end up getting thrown away. Sustainable and module pieces of technology allow us to upgrade and use our technology for longer periods of time.
With knowing about the dangers of E-waste and how they can both affect us and our environment, it is crucial that the word is spread and the ideas are implemented in order to slow down the rise of E-waste. E-waste is a huge contributor to the pollution in our world and it can only be helped if enough people get together and make a change.
Citations:
Chatterbuzz. “How Does Recycling Electronics Help the Environment: Blog.” Great Lakes Electronics, 7 Oct. 2022, https://www.ewaste1.com/how-does-recycling-electronics-help-the-environment/#:~:text=E%2Dwaste%20Contains%20Toxic%20Substances&text=When%20e%2Dwaste%20is%20exposed,both%20land%20and%20sea%20animals.
