A tap here and a swipe there. Done. Let’s check off your grocery list, utility bills, social calendar, and the donations you promised your favorite charity. That’s the ease and convenience of using a smartphone today. 

However, how often do we think about the larger than life impact of using these ultra-smart devices on the environment? With the number of phones outnumbering human beings on earth, are you ever curious to know how ‘green’ your device really is? 

The Modern Smartphone & Our Fragile Environment

The first smartphone was developed in 1992. As tech circles rejoiced over this marvelous feet, environmentalists began a countdown. Between 1990 to 2021, greenhouse gas emissions increased by 50%, with carbon dioxide contributing 80% to the total. Coincidence, you say? Read on...

Research suggests that a new smartphone emits 85kgs of carbon in its first year. Various studies indicate that within this pie, 95% comes from the manufacturing process alone. Therefore, producing a smartphone is an emission intensive process; and hence, the root cause of the environmental impact.

Tonnes of carbon is released into the atmosphere during the molding, filtering and mining of the various metals used during manufacturing. Let’s break this down and identify the most prominent factors.