An Introduction to Climate Change–How E-waste Escalates Our Crisis
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We bet you've heard the phrase "climate change" mentioned before. Erase that from your mind; this is a climate crisis! The term "global warming" refers to the long-term increase in Earth's average temperature. Yet in recent years, this once-gradual increase has dramatically escalated into a cataclysm, due to human activity.
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A major factor in climate change is the predominance of fossil fuels. Fossil fuels are non-renewable resources that are burned to produce energy.
Unfortunately, fossil fuels produce greenhouse gases when burned. Greenhouse gases are emissions of heat-trapping gasses in Earth's atmosphere. Obviously, Earth needs these gases to sustain heat. However, if there is an excessive amount, then the planet starts heating up.
One of the main reasons for climate change is the amount of CO2 being released into the atmosphere, and trying to lessen the amount of CO2 in the air is crucial to solving this grave mistake. Having tons of CO2 in the air is a problem because CO2 causes the climate in the world to change, which can lead to extreme weather, melting ice caps, and rising seas. Many scientists predict that by 2030, global warming will be irreversible.
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To manufacture electronics, numerous fossil fuels are used. And when we extract valuable components from inside e-waste, more fossil fuels are used! E-waste ultimately is a major factor in climate change, as even its own chemicals spew carbon dioxide and methane into the air.
In 2023, power plants in the U.S. produced around 4.18 trillion kilowatt-hours of electricity, which emitted 1.53 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere (EIA, 2024, December 1)! 99% of the CO2 was produced from burning fossil fuels, though they only made up 60% of the total electricity ( EIA. 2024, December 1).
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Each family trashed 400 iPhones' worth of e-waste a year
In the past years, climate change has hurt Florida in many ways. Florida has had excessive flooding, rising sea levels, and stronger hurricanes, making the state way more vulnerable to both natural and human-made disasters (Safdie, 2025). As climate change escalates, all of these dreaded occurrences will become more frequent. And e-waste isn't helping!
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