How To Make Sustainable Tech Purchases

7 min readMar 31, 2021

As our reliance on technology continues to increase, tech components diminish natural resources, degrade the environment, and contribute to oppressive labor conditions. Consumers need more sustainable tech options!

Technology is a particularly polluting and resource-intensive industry; there are many known issues with the tech industry including:

Unethical working conditions for individuals mining materials
Unethical working conditions for factory or manufacturing workers that produce tech materials
Fossil fuel use in transporting tech materials
Air, water, and soil pollution at mining and/or manufacturing sites
Fossil fuel use in transporting completed goods
Fossil fuel use in transporting electronics to be recycled
No or few recycling options for electronics
Illegal dumping of electronics in developing countries (from developed countries)
Air, water, and soil pollution at tech waste sites

What can consumers do to address above?

Carefully consider each electronic or tech good you bring into your life.

Ask yourself:

Is this an item I will use? Answer this question with evidence; do you have proof you will use this item? Alternatively, will it bring you joy to use it? You should not answer this question impulsively. Consider how the item would exist within your lifestyle and daily routine. For example, if considering a new phone or tablet, how will you use it each day? Are these uses necessary (being available for work calls, checking emails for school when not at home, etc.) or do these uses bring you joy (drawing, playing games, accessing meditations)?
Do you believe this item will last a long time? Do you have evidence to support the quality of the item (reviews, tech specs, etc.)? Are there common issues with the model and if so, how easy is and cost effective is it to address those issues?

2. If you’ve answered above, now it’s time to try and find the item secondhand. I recommend finding tech that is certified refurbished. If certified refurbished, items will be in working order and any exterior damages will be noted. For example, a certified refurbished phone in excellent condition will have no superficial damage and work perfectly.

3. Take care of your item. This may be the hardest part on the list. Many of us have learned that technology is disposable. Cherish the tech in your life.

As necessary, install regular software updates.
Consider protectors, such as screen protectors and cases for drops and damage.
Keep items out of the elements (sun, rain, etc.)
Try not to bend cords
Store items in dry spaces with regulated temperatures
Keep your item turned off or unplugged, when not in use
Try not to charge items like phones, tablets, and computers constantly

4. If your item breaks, do your best to repair it

Some items can be fixed at home, with online instructions and ordered parts
Some items require paid expertise

5. Teach yourself tolerance and patience for your existing tech. You may notice your battery is dying more quickly or that your speaker disconnects from Bluetooth sometimes. Instead of immediately purchasing a replacement, ask yourself: is this one of the most important functions of the item?

If yes, consider repairing it or doing some more research on how to improve the function.
If no, you can probably learn to tolerate the problem for a while. For example, I purchased a phone 4.5 years ago, but I did not buy enough storage. Every time I wanted a new app, I needed to delete 2–3 other apps; this led to only having 16 apps at a time on my phone. Although apps are a crucial function of any smart phone, I knew I could learn to tolerate this problem for a set period of time. After a year, COVID-19 happened and I realized I could hold out even longer, since I was using my phone less and less. You do not need to torture yourself, but consider what is reasonable within your lifestyle to tolerate.

6. Commit to recycling your tech, at the end of its life; be willing to pay for recycling. Some tech won’t cost anything to recycle, but items like TVs or other larger electronics, may have a fee to recycle.

What is planned obsolescence and why should I care?

Planned obsolescence is the conscious act, perpetrated by companies, to design an item to expire. Specifically, companies design items to need repair after a certain amount of time. Companies often try to strike a balance between enough time that you enjoy the tech and trying to get you to consume another tech item as soon as possible. A prime example here is the Apple batteries that died quickly; Apple was sued for planned obsolescence, as Apple intentionally hid the known battery problems. Many people who had mediocre batteries in their iPhones simply purchased new iPhones, which just gave Apple more business for their poor design.

Where should I buy refurbished tech?

Buying refurbished can be a great option if you don’t want to repair an electronic yourself or if you want to purchase a warranty with your refurbished option.

Gazelle includes laptops, tablets, and phones.
Backmarket includes laptops, phones, tablets, headphones, watches, and video game consoles.
Glyde includes phones.
Apple Refurbished includes laptops, tablets, phones, and watches.
Best Buy Refurbished includes laptops, tablets, phones, headphones, smart home devices, wearables, printers and more.
Google Refurbished includes phones and smart home devices.
Amazon Renewed: includes laptops, tablets, phones, headphones, watches, home appliances, printers, and more.
Additional brand specific sites. If you want a specific appliance, see if the brand has a way to shop for refurbished versions. For example, Vitamix sells refurbished blenders directly on their site.
Additional in person stores for certain items. If you want a specific type of item, see if your local area has a shop that specializes in the exchange of it. For example, there is a used camera shop and a refurbished tech store near me.

What if I don’t want to buy refurbished from large corporations?

Fortunately some large tech companies are taking refurbishing electronics seriously. But if you want to avoid them all together, stick to third party refurbishers (like Gazelle above), buying electronics from friends/family, or buying secondhand from websites or stores. If you buy electronics from unknown sellers, know that you run the risk of receiving a damaged (or in some cases a stolen) item. Be willing to repair these items, if you purchase something damaged.

Are there any sustainably made tech items?

There are some!

Fairphone: This phone is modularly designed, so individual pieces are upgradeable and replaceable. Many of their materials are recycled and they use fairtrade gold in their phones.
Nimble: many of their materials are recycled. They sell chargers (portable and wireless) and charging cords.
A Good Company: their only tech product, a charging cord, is made from recycled materials.
House of Marley: many of their materials are recycled, with some materials being natural (such as bamboo). They sell headphones, speakers, and turntables. Some of their products include leather, so keep an eye on that if you don’t use leather.

Are there any phone case companies you recommend?

Yes, Pela. Pela primarily makes compostable phone cases, but they also have some other accessories including: screen protectors, EMF guards, AirPod cases, smart watch bands, and more. If you do not have compost available near you, they will compost your old Pela case for free.

If you prefer a plastic case, Nimble makes recycled CD phone cases.

Do you know of any companies that make sustainable tech sleeves?

Yes, NoThrowDesign makes 100% recycled textile waste sleeves for phones, tablets, and laptops.

If you prefer organic cotton, Terra Thread makes laptop sleeves. Additionally, many Etsy sellers make 100% organic tech sleeves with beautiful designs and/or personalization.

How can we promote sustainability as a core value in the tech industry?

Contact tech companies and your politicians; tell them to increase sustainability within the tech industry. In the U.S., we have a long way to go to ensure basic sustainability standards are met for tech. Policy is best for widespread change, but you can also reach out to tech brands and let them know why you aren’t buying their products or how you’d like to see them improve.

Some specific things to ask for in policies:

Full-cycle responsibility for tech companies; tech companies would be responsible for all environmental consequences associated with production, shipping, and recycling of their products
Policy or program that encourages/requires local or national e-waste recycling
Policy or program that encourages/requires local or national tech repair, including company sponsored refurbishing programs
Fines for planned obsolescence design
Standards that certify ethical mining and manufacturing

Some specific things to ask for from companies:

Higher quality, longer lasting tech items
Takeback programs for used/broken tech
Partnerships with local or national repair shops
Items with recycled content
Carbon neutral/negative shipping
Compostable packaging

What sustainable tech do you have, Emily?

iPhone 12 mini, purchased from Gazelle (upgraded from a 2016 iPhone SE in March 2021).
iPhone 12 mini case, EMF guard, and phone grip from Pela.
A Good Company charging cord.
My partner’s 2013 MacBook Pro.

Here are some helpful resources, if you’d like to learn more: