Speaking about environmental impacts we usually consider our effects on natural resources, such as land, water and air, and our consumption of food and goods and production of waste. Various measures can be taken in order to decrease these important impacts, but... have you ever thought about our electronic devices? E-waste disposal is without a doubt a critical issue that needs to be seriously considered, but it is not the only one: the effects of the electric devices production process is highly impacting on the environment. Heavy metals (Pb, Zn, Cr), gold and oil are elements usually used as raw material. Moreover, most of these appliances are packaged with a plastic case.

In a world where the technology fever is growing day by day and where it is difficult to imagine a life with no electronic devices (think about living without your mobile phone or your pc), how is it possible to combine this social and economic developments with the protection of the environment? Companies that will change their approach by utilizing recycled plastic and metals for their electronic and electric devices will for sure be more competitive in a long term perspective.

This is the case of Samsung and LG which are introducing new products. Mobile phones made with recycled material and able to compete with other products in terms of technology and battery are finally available on the market. This is of course just the first step for opening up the production of sustainable smartphones since other aspects need still to be included in the evolution cycle (i.e. social aspects), but it is anyway a very good start.