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Though e-waste is a gargantuan problem, brilliant people have found solutions to reduce it! We urge you to look into effective solutions to stop climate change, as recycling isn't going to do it. After all, only 20% of e-waste is properly recycled (Morrison 2025). For example, the company Infineon came up with a masterpiece: a water soluble circuit board (Imagineering Inc. 2023)!
What You Can Do To Help/Solutions:
Think Before You Buy:
Ask: Do I need a new phone every year? Wait longer between upgrades. Avoid impulse tech purchases. This will help reduce e-waste demands and waste metals and materials in your device, like gold, silver, and other metals.
2. Unplug Devices
When your devices are plugged in but not in use, those devices are still consuming that energy and wasting it. This is called Vampire Energy. Vampire Energy can be when your toaster, coffee maker, or any plugged-in device is not in use. You can also use power strips so that it is easier to turn everything off at once.
3. Teach the Public:
Run simple campaigns to teach people how to take care of their devices and use them longer. After all, how can we stop this conundrum if we aren't aware of it?
Ideas For the Government:
We all submitted bills to legislators about ideas to solve the e-waste conundrum. Here are the basics to help you come up with your own ideas!
1. Make Products Last Longer:
Laws can require companies to build electronics that don’t break easily and get software updates for years.
2. Stop Planned Obsolescence:
Some products are made to break early on purpose. Laws can ban that and fine companies that do it.
3. Fund Green Tech:
Governments can support new inventions like eco-friendly materials or electronics that break down safely.
4. Control E-Waste Exports:
Some countries send their e-waste to poorer countries. Governments can ban this and manage waste responsibly.
Our bills are here!
Aidan McMahon
Maya Bettinger-Lopez
Noam Cariglio
Jordan Katz
Luckily, we are not alone! There are a multitude of organizations dedicated to eliminate e-waste! The purpose of these groups are to inform people about the hazard of e-waste on the environment, health, and the world. Here are a few of these fantastic groups:
The Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal
The Florida Department of Environmental Protection
United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP)
The Electronic Recycling Department (ERA)
We urge you to look into these organizations to find out more about their cause and how you can help!
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