| In recent years the issue of climate change and the | | | | This initiative is incredibly valuable considering that in |
| damage we're doing to the atmosphere has become | | | | the UK alone 1,712 mobile phones are upgraded |
| a major issue. With particular focus on many of the | | | | every hour, meaning that there are potentially 41,000 |
| technological advances that are harming our planet | | | | mobile phones gathering dust in a desk drawer |
| from Gas guzzling cars to leaving our mobile phone | | | | somewhere which could be put to good use. This |
| chargers plugged in. With many of us more | | | | waste is made all the more outstanding when mobile |
| concerned about how we can do our part to save | | | | phones are designed to function for in excess of ten |
| the environment the manufacturers are being | | | | years, where we tend to begin lusting after the |
| pressurised by organisations like Greenpeace to | | | | latest model after just 18 months. |
| become "greener" and reduce the damage they're | | | | Aside from recycling the mobile phones and donating |
| doing to the planet. | | | | them this year a new exhibit at the London Science |
| Mobile phones are no exception to this effort, with | | | | Museum showcased the possible future |
| everyone knowing about the radiation caused by | | | | environmentally friendly applications of our old mobile |
| mobile phones, coupled with the fact that there are | | | | phones. One such suggestion was for mobile phone |
| 50 million mobile phones in use in the UK alone, that's | | | | circuit boards to be replaced with sheets of lasagne |
| not far off the total population of 60.5 UK residents | | | | or chicken feathers! |
| it all makes for a concern about how we can help | | | | One stand out offering from researchers at Warwick |
| cause less damage. | | | | University was a Motorola handset that included |
| One of the solutions could be one of the many | | | | metals that broke themselves down for recycling and |
| mobile phone recycling schemes in place, mobile | | | | contained sunflower seed within the cover that |
| operator O2 now sends out prepaid recycling bags | | | | meant when the mobile phone was no longer of any |
| with their new handsets for contract customers to | | | | use it could simply be planted in the garden. |
| send their old mobile phones back. Companies like | | | | A company calling itself "Green Mobile" is a fledgling |
| FoneBak take old mobile phones and are able to | | | | mobile phone operator which will plant five trees for |
| salvage components such as copper and gold in order | | | | every mobile phone subscription, as well as donating |
| for them to be melted down and reused. Some | | | | 6% of its turnover to charities, as well as the option |
| other companies and charities send old mobile phones | | | | to keep your current mobile phone or one of their |
| to developing countries. | | | | cheap mobile phones. |