Hi everyone, how are we all doing. So today i write based on a concerning issue in regards to the advancement of electronic gadgets and technology. Sharing the results of improper disposition of our old devices which can be further detrimental to Earth and even causing identity theft.
Recycling is the process of converting waste into reusable materials in order to prevent the creation of additional waste. It's probably one of the most important things we can do to help the environment and ourselves. We live in a world where people replace their electronic devices every year for newer, faster models, resulting in more non-biodegradable waste.
But what happens to the older gadgets and technology? They will most likely end up stacked in our closets, garages, or, even worse, in our garbage. This is not only inconvenient for us, but it is also harmful to the environment.
Desiring the latest and greatest gadget or technology is never a terrible thing, but what about your old devices? With new versions of phones and computers being introduced every year, wanting the latest and greatest is never a bad thing, but what about your old devices? The truth is that ancient devices might still contain all of the data you put on them or that they gathered during their lifetime. It's important to think about how you'll dispose of these gadgets after they've served their purpose, not only for the environment, but also for your personal safety.
Turning off a device for an extended period of time may appear to be long enough for data to vanish or be destroyed, but data never vanishes or is erased on its own. Regardless of how long you wait after a device is turned off, data from when it was used and what was stored on it is still available. Even if you formally delete data, there is still a very good chance that information about you can be recovered, and everyone should be aware of this. This may or may not be the case if your device was damaged. Even after fire and water damage, many devices can be recovered, but not all of them.
Your old device has a lot of information about you, and you should be aware of where it goes. Many devices store common items such as messages, photos, videos, screenshots and email, but there are also many items that people forget they have on their device. Location logs, login information, banking information, application usage, personal information(house address, precise street number and sometimes the picture of the house), recordings(audio or video), typing speed, language, age, credit card information, thumb prints, facial recognition, pass codes, voice recognition queues, and Internet cookies are all things that could be found on your device(s) which can all be recovered.
While it may appear that deleting all photos, emails, and texts individually is the best solution, many devices simply move those items to a folder with all of the items there, but marked as deleted for around a month, implying that they are still on your device. Even if you completely delete the items from each folder, the data can often be pieced together and discovered if someone really wanted to. If only song titles are recovered, this may not be a problem, but if personal login information, notes, or even phone calls are recovered, it could result in identity theft.
On mobile devices, the proper way of handling this is to reset the device to factory settings. This is guaranteed to work for Android and Apple phones and devices that are less than three to five years old. They are encrypted, and resetting the device means the encryption key has been changed, rendering remaining data unrecoverable by all but the most advanced methods requiring supercomputer power. For older devices, more research into the precise details of how the device stored memory and the best method to wipe the device is required. To fully comprehend your device, you must conduct some thorough research and check your settings to determine whether it is encrypted and then find a way on how to remove your data.
The way you dispose of old device hardware has an impact on the environment. Although it may be convenient to store old devices in the bottom drawer of your desk or to throw them away in a nearby trash can, these are not the best options. By keeping your old devices, you're keeping valuable metals and materials sitting in a pile that can't be used. If your device is fully functional, donating it is a great idea, but if it is worn out and needs to be disposed of, this is not the solution. When old technology is donated, it frequently ends up in the trash because many organizations do not know how to recycle electronics. The best way to dispose of electronic waste is to look up the location of the nearest electronic waste recycling center or, if your community is fortunate enough to have one, when the next community e-waste collection will take place. You can rest assured that properly recycling your old devices will not harm the environment, and the materials will have a much better chance of being reused.
There can be four advantages to recycling your old electronic or IT equipment.
A cleaner environment: Recycling electronic waste saves landfill space and protects the environment from toxins that pollute the environment. Recycling also eliminates the need for landfills altogether.
Landfills are rapidly expanding around the world, implying that we are constantly looking for new places to dump our waste.
By recycling our electronic waste, we are assisting in reducing the amount of waste sent to landfill and, as a result, reducing the amount of space required for our garbage.
Toxic Waste Prevention: When e-waste is disposed of in landfills, it not only takes up space, but it also releases harmful toxins that are hazardous not only to the environment, but also to the health of living organisms.
Chemicals like lead, beryllium, mercury and cadmium are found in electronic equipment and when we recycle our equipment, we are preventing chemical toxins from being released into the water and air, as well as reducing pollution.
Improved Health(longer life-span): As previously stated, the chemicals released by electronic waste can be harmful to living organisms. Toxins released into the air or water by these chemicals can cause health problems such as brain and kidney damage.
We can help by keeping our air and water clean and safe to use by recycling our old devices.
Resources can be reused with reduction in manufacturing and cost: Electronics contain a large number of components that can be re-utilised without further processing, saving resources and energy used in the initial manufacturing process. Reusing these components' materials reduces the amount of manufacturing required, lowering costs and reducing energy consumption.
Many large corporations, such as Apple, have their own recycling facilities where they dispose of electronics for future reuse, and all large corporations should strive for this.
What Can E-Waste Be Used For?
Gold is used in circuit boards, copper is used for connective wires, and silver is used in solder for each electronic device. When these electronic devices are properly recycled, the valuable materials are sold for profit and used to create new products. Cell phone batteries, for example, can be used to create new smartphones and batteries, while zinc and aluminum from laptops and tablets can be used to create metal plates, jewelry, automobiles, and art.
So please, when you want to dispose of or get rid of your old gadgets, electronics or IT devices, make sure you don't just throw it into the garbage, but ensure it is properly disposed of by recycling as the electronic devices are non-biodegradable which can cause harm to our lovely environment. Let's make Earth safe as much as we can!
I have actually sat down and thought about where files go when we delete them. That's why I believe nothing is ever completely erased in our phones and can always be recovered by someone having the right tools, maybe someone working in Google or apple