What Are Eco-Friendly Alternatives to Traditional Cell Phones?
- Molly Sneddon
- May 1
- 4 min read
Updated: May 6
Leading a sustainable lifestyle can be tough, especially when trying to incorporate environmental friendliness into aspects of your life you hadn’t thought much about before. Here at the Center for the Business of Sustainability, we understand that firsthand! Finding eco alternatives to everyday purchases is time-consuming, confusing, and sometimes even downright irritating. Well, we hear you! Welcome to the first installment of Sustainable Substitutes, a guide to simple alternatives for a greener lifestyle!
In our inaugural post, we will be exploring something that is always with us: our phones. Cell phones have become a major aspect of our daily lives, and yet, many of us have never stopped to think about the environmental impacts of these portable devices. From scrolling TikTok to texting friends, our phones play a big role in our lives. But, they can have serious impacts on the environment. Energy use, electronic waste, and plastic usage are just a few of the many environmental concerns associated with cell phones. We aren’t here to convince you to say goodbye to your phone. Simply, we’re here to provide you with some sustainable suggestions to consider.
PHONE CASES:
Unfortunately, plastic is one of the most common materials for phone cases, and with 1.5 billion phone cases thrown away every year, it certainly isn’t an insignificant problem. So, we’ve found an alternative: Pela Cases
Self-described as the “World’s First 100% Compostable Phone Case”, Pela is making itself known to eco-friendly consumers. As a certified B-Corp, sustainability is a core factor of Pela’s operations. With over 3.3 million Pela products sold, they claim to have kept over 960,000 pounds of plastic from entering the waste stream. Although only 45% of their materials are plant-based, Pela is still a great alternative to standard plastic cases. And with so many cute designs, it'll be difficult to choose just one case!
For additional brand options, check out The Round Up's "11 Best Eco-Friendly Phone Cases from Sustainable Materials".
CELL PHONES:
You may not have thought about it before, but your cell phone itself can be harmful to the environment. Supply chains and production are the largest source of cell phone lifetime emissions, with "80% of a smartphone's lifetime emissions attributed to its production". So, what do we do? Well, we've all heard of Apple iPhone, Samsung Galaxy, and Google Pixel, but have you heard of Fairphone?
How does Fairphone differ from other cell phone makers? They emphasize 5 core values in their mission to have a positive impact, including: longevity, circularity, fair materials, fair factories, and climate action. But how do they achieve this? One aspect is the modular design of their products. Fairphone explains that their phones are "easy to repair, and provide hardware and software support for as long as possible" due to the modular structure. This helps reduce waste, optimize resource use, and decrease the need for full replacements, furthering their mission of sustainability.
SEARCH ENGINES:
With the rise of AI raising concerns about the amount of energy required to run a query, people are beginning to consider how their online searches are impacting the environment. One solution to that is Ecosia.
Ecosia takes a unique approach to online searches; instead of the standard approach, they pledge that 100% of their profits are for the planet. As a certified B-Corp, Ecosia has been externally evaluated for sustainability and ethicality. Furthermore, they provide monthly financial reports to back up their claims, breaking it down by six categories: trees; other climate impact; building search diversity; taxes and social security; spreading the word; and operational costs. With a total of $92 million dedicated to climate action and 228 million trees planted, Ecosia has certainly made an impact.
Next time you consider surfing the web, purchasing a new phone case, or upgrading your phone, consider the potential benefits of supporting sustainability-focused companies such as Pela, Fairphone, and Ecosia. A simple change could make a significant difference in your environmental impact.
ADDITIONAL REFERENCED RESOURCES:
"How Environmentally Friendly are Phone Cases", Pela Cases
"Is Ecosia Legit? About the Ecosia Search Engine", Marlena Angermann, Utopia
"The Environmental Impact of Smartphones", CBC News: The National
Concerns about greenwashing are important to us. We understand that these companies may not be perfect, and we do not intend to frame them as so. Our Sustainable Substitutes series serves to provide consumers with alternative options that, though they might not be perfect, help individuals make conscious strides toward integrating sustainability into their daily lives.
On that note, we greatly appreciate any feedback readers have on our blog posts or featured products. We aim to be a trustworthy and helpful resource to eco-minded people, and truly value the insight and experiences our readers share with us.
If you have a topic or company you would like us to highlight in the future, please reach out at smealsustainability@gmail.com
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