There is a lot of talk about the environment these days, and with good reason. Our planet is in trouble. But what a lot of people don’t realize is that one of the biggest causes of environmental damage is something we use every day: batteries.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), only about 15% of all batteries are recycled each year. That’s around 12 billion batteries, sitting in landfills or in the ground leaching toxic chemicals into groundwater and soil. In addition to the environmental impact, there is also a big economic cost for this problem.
Numerous countries around the world are reporting a rise in electronic waste or e-waste. E-waste is created when electronic devices like cell phones, laptops, and tablets are discarded. This problem is only going to get worse in the future, as the world becomes increasingly digitized.
Life Style Changes in Human Society
The way that we consume goods on a daily basis has progressed drastically throughout the years. This can be attributed to the fast-paced society that we live in today. Most goods that we buy and use on a regular basis come from entities such as Walmart and Tesco. These goods go through economic models such as "fast, cheap, good." The fast aspect is fulfilled with popular goods thanks to logistics companies like Amazon and Alibaba; the goods are cheap as they are sold in bulk quantities; and they may also be considered good when they don't have too many flaws. In order for these models to remain viable, goods must be disposed of after only a few months of use even in this society of extended living due to all-pervasive health, beauty and fashion obsessions. These flawed goods typically go into a landfield. Sometimes seen as the result of a throw-away culture, e-waste must be disposed of responsibly, both for environmental and economic purposes.
This Junk is Very Harmful To Mother Earth
Most of us know that using electrical and electronic devices leads to harmful effects on the environment, but this does not necessarily mean that we will cut down our use. Individuals can do a lot for themselves and for the environment if they would simply dispose of their waste properly, recycle (or reuse!), and not be a person who sits back with love handles then says if I don't care than why should they.
E-waste is one of the biggest environmental issues in today's global landscape. 10% of all trash found on land, is equal to 15 million tons of e-waste ending up in landfills each year. Transporting this waste to landfills or recycling plants will have significant environmental impacts on communities living near these areas. Pollution from various harmful substances such as lead, mercury and cadmium is a perfect example.
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