Vehicle emissions account for a fifth of the total emissions in the US. But how are these calculated and what’s being done about it? Here are the details.

Vehicle emissions: what’s the impact on the planet ?

Transform the negative environmental and social impacts of fashion by forming a sustainable fashion brand company. Here are some of our best tips to get started in the world of sustainable fashion.

5 Ideas to Become a Sustainable Fashion Brand Company

This article will answer all your questions on Green IT.👇

Everything You Need to Know About Green IT in 2023

In this article, we'll explore how King Charles might be able to influence environmental change

How could Charles III become the 'Climate King'?

Kara joined the team at Greenly in 2023 as SEO copywriter for the UK market.

Kara Anderson - Greenly

Kara studied her bachelors of law at the University of Glasgow and her masters in international law at the University of Aberdeen, before looking for a more creative career path. She found this in advertising, working as a content manager in London. After a move to Paris in 2019 she decided to switch to freelance copywriting in order to scratch her creative itch. Kara joined the team at Greenly in 2023 as SEO copywriter for the UK market.  

After seeking opportunities to put her various creative passions to good use, she joined Greenly in mid 2022 as SEO copywriter for the U.S. blog to provide her American perspective on the climate change issues we face today.

Stephanie Safdie - Greenly

Stephanie completed a bachelor's degree in English & Multimedia in 2020 at the University of Maryland College Park. She previously worked as a social media content video creator and freelance copywriter. After seeking opportunities to put her various creative passions to good use, she joined Greenly in mid 2022 as SEO copywriter for the U.S. blog to provide her American perspective on the climate change issues we face today. 

Ines Gendre

After graduating in 2016 with a master’s degree in marketing, Ines began her career in project management. However she soon decided to turn towards writing, to bring her core competencies to the service of societal changes. First working as a freelance copywriter, she joined Greenly in early 2022 to help fight global warming.

Alexis Normand

Alexis is a 37 year-old graduate of HEC and Sciences-Po. After his studies, he spent 2 years working in public policy consulting. He then spent 6 years at Withings, a leading company in connected objects. While there, he continued the companies operations in Boston, USA, and created the company’s health department. After the company was bought by Nokia, he joined the startup Embleema by working through Techstars, one of the best startup incubators in the United States, where he developed a taste for entrepreneurship. His return to France was an opportunity to put all his experience at the service of the environment, during a crucial moment in the climate crisis.

Arnaud Delubac

Arnaud, 26 years old, trained as a designer and in digital communication at INSEEC before joining the Master Entrepreunariat at ESSEC-CentraleSupélec. Passionate about social media since his teenage years, he has created some of the biggest Twitter communities in France before joining the digital communication team of the Prime Minister’s office in Matignon. It was at the Secretaries of State for Digital, Mounir Mahjoubi and Cédric O, where Arnaud directly managed the team, that he developed a strong conviction for the need to use technology to bring awareness to the greatest causes of our time.

Matthieu Vegreville

Matthieu is a 28 year-old graduate engineer from Ecole Polytechnique and Télecom Paris, with a background in data science at Withings. While there, he worked on watch activity detection algorithms, and developed a health study activity so that connected objects could be used to better monitor certain pathologies. He has long been involved in data science projects with his brother, who has the same training. Faced with the urgency of the climate crisis, he decided to put his know-how at the service of the environment. 

Justine Dumont

Justine a toujours été passionnée de lecture et d’écriture. En 2019, elle parvient justement à faire de sa passion son métier, en devenant rédactrice web indépendante. Motivée par ses engagements écologiques, elle rejoint l’équipe de Greenly en 2022 afin de mettre ses compétences au service de la cause environnementale. 

An email has just been sent to you with a link to download the resource :)

Your request has been taken into account.

What is the carbon footprint of a refurbished phone?

Our addiction to smartphones is bad for the environment. But what exactly is the carbon footprint of a refurbished phone?

What is the carbon footprint of a reconditioned phone?

The refurbished market is booming. More than a communication tool, smartphones now play the role of GPS, camera, Internet browser or music player ... Multiple functions synonymous with increased use, but also synonymous with bringing a faster end of life to the device. 😖Tired of spending fortunes on a new phone, many now prefer to opt for reuse. An economic gesture, but also ecological! Although they are not constantly plugged into the mains, these high-tech mobile terminals have an impact on the environment. And not a small one.&nbsp;&nbsp;In total, digital technology accounts for 2.5% of France's carbon footprint and 3.5% of global greenhouse gas emissions.&nbsp;A figure that should double by 2025, given our dependence on smartphones. So: how can you reduce the environmental impact of your phone? Why should you opt for refurbished ones?&nbsp;We tell you everything in this article. 👋&nbsp;<figure class="w-richtext-figure-type-image w-richtext-align-center" data-rt-type="image" data-rt-align="center"><div><img src="https://uploads-ssl.webflow.com/6232f79b68d15d3d9b69c096/631b182636113b6b35fc0b4d_interesting.jpg" loading="lazy"></div></figure>&nbsp;<h2 id="">🧐 What is a refurbished phone?</h2>&nbsp;Driven by advertising and the pace at which new, better models are released, consumers change their devices on average every two years. Which is far too short! ❌<blockquote id="">&nbsp;👉 Since 2007, more than 10 billion smartphones have been sold worldwide.&nbsp;</blockquote>&nbsp;In this context, the refurbishment of these devices obviously aims to meet this overconsumption. But what exactly is a refurbished smartphone? 📱&nbsp;A refurbished phone is an electronic device that has already been used, but still works well enough not to be thrown in the trash. By reconditioning it, the idea is therefore to offer it a second life. Of course, the device concerned will then be put on sale at a lower cost.<blockquote id="">&nbsp;💡 Good to know: the refurbished market concerns smartphones, but also computers, game consoles, washing machines and even vacuum cleaners.</blockquote>&nbsp;‍&nbsp;<h2 id="">🔎 What is the environmental footprint of a refurbished smartphone compared to a new one?</h2>In France, smartphones are responsible for 60-90% of the environmental impact of digital.&nbsp;But what is their impact over their entire life cycle?&nbsp;<h3 id="">Manufacturing 🛠</h3>Manufacturing is undoubtedly the most polluting and energy-consuming stage of a phone's entire life cycle.&nbsp;Thus, nearly three quarters of a smartphone's carbon impact is caused by its manufacturing. 😱There are several reasons for this: did you know, for example, that a phone travels around the planet four times before it reaches your hands? In detail:&nbsp;<ul id=""><li id="">the design usually takes place in the United States;</li><li id="">extraction and processing of raw materials are both done in South East Asia, Australia, Central Africa or South America;</li><li id="">manufacturing of the main components takes place in Europe, Asia and the United States;</li><li id="">assembly is carried out in Southeast Asia;</li><li id="">the devices are then distributed around the world, usually by air.</li></ul>&nbsp;Moreover, the manufacture of a phone is not done without generating numerous social and health impacts. ⚔️&nbsp;Very often - unfortunately - the working conditions in which the manufacture of phones takes place are deplorable. As an illustration, no less than 40,000 children are said to work in cobalt and coltan mines.The icing on the cake? The extraction of tin, tantalum, tungsten and gold sometimes leads to armed conflicts. This is why they are referred to as "blood minerals".<blockquote id="">👉 On a slightly more positive note, know that opting for a refurbished equipment avoids the extraction of 82 kg of raw materials and the emission of 25 kg of greenhouse gasses (GHG) per year (that is 87% less than a new one).</blockquote>&nbsp;<h3 id="">The use 🤳</h3>21% of the carbon impact of electronic equipment is caused by its use. Granted, it is less than that related to the production phase. For all that, it does not become negligible.<blockquote id="">👉 Now, extending the life of a phone for two more years can improve the environmental balance by 50%. &nbsp;</blockquote>&nbsp;<h3 id="">End of life 🚮</h3>No less than 70 materials are needed to make a phone. 💥&nbsp;In detail:<ul id=""><li id="">10 to 20% glass and ceramics ;</li><li id="">40 to 60% metals;</li><li id="">30 to 50% plastics and synthetic materials.</li></ul>&nbsp;Used in small quantities, with complex alloys, these famous materials are particularly difficult to recycle completely.&nbsp;What's worse: only 15% of telephone equipment is collected for recycling. ♻️<blockquote id="">👋 Every year, 20 million tons of waste are generated by digital technology over the entire life cycle of our devices.&nbsp;</blockquote>&nbsp;<h2 id="">👍 What are the benefits of a refurbished phone?</h2>&nbsp;<h3 id="">Reducing its environmental impact 📉</h3>As we have seen: buying a phone is not without consequences on the environment and society.&nbsp;In fact, reusing a phone allows you to:<ul id=""><li id="">avoid the extraction of new resources to manufacture a new device ;</li><li id="">reduce the production of waste;</li><li id="">reduce our greenhouse gas emissions.</li></ul>&nbsp;Users can also change their usage by primarily using Wifi instead of activating data, downloading only the necessary apps, or regularly updating.<blockquote id="">✅ Ultimately, refurbished smartphones are up to eight times more green than new ones. When making your next purchase, don't hesitate to question your needs before succumbing to the latest model!</blockquote>&nbsp;<h3 id="">Participate in the circular economy 🔄</h3>Offering a second life to a device is possible thanks to:<ul id=""><li id="">repairability;&nbsp;</li><li id="">the accessibility of spare parts;</li><li id="">better maintenance;&nbsp;</li><li id="">recycling.&nbsp;</li></ul>&nbsp;On average, a refurbished smartphone has an environmental impact two to four times lower than the production of a new device. And that's taking into account the change of the screen, the battery and the addition of new equipment. 📲Thus, anyone who wishes to part with their device can sell it or bring it back to a second-hand store, to a re-use structure (refab and recycling centers), or even simply giving it to their friends and family.&nbsp;<figure class="w-richtext-figure-type-image w-richtext-align-center" data-rt-type="image" data-rt-align="center"><div><img src="https://uploads-ssl.webflow.com/6232f79b68d15d3d9b69c096/631b1b77fbe7faf895555a5f_we-amazing.jpg" loading="lazy"></div></figure>&nbsp;<h3 id="">Owning a high-performance device 💯</h3>Many consumers wouldn't dare to buy second hand, for fear of getting ripped off.&nbsp;However, <a href="https://www.ademe.fr/en/frontpage/" id="">ADEME</a> reassures consumers: a refurbished phone always undergoes several stages of verification.&nbsp;Thus, once collected, the smartphone is:<ul id=""><li id="">reset, in order to permanently delete the data of the previous owner ;&nbsp;</li><li id="">unlocked, in order to work with any operator;</li><li id="">cleaned ;</li><li id="">tested;</li><li id="">repaired - including the replacement of failed components with new ones;</li><li id="">checked;</li><li id="">repackaged;</li><li id="">resold.</li></ul>&nbsp;<blockquote id="">👋 Under the legal warranty of conformity, a reconditioned device is guaranteed for one year after purchase.</blockquote>‍<h3 id="">Save money 💰</h3>Beyond making a gesture for the environment, buying reconditioned allows you to save money.&nbsp;Indeed, this type of device is sold up to 75% cheaper than a new one. Even if - obviously - the rate also depends on the condition of said device (scratches, marks, etc.). 🤑A refurbished phone can be purchased directly from the manufacturer, in supermarkets or on marketplaces like <a href="https://www.backmarket.com/en-us" id="">Backmarket</a>.&nbsp;<h2 id="">👀 What about digital technology in your company?</h2>Do you want to do something for the environment too? Reduce the emissions linked to your company's activity without further delay, by carrying out your 100% personalized carbon assessment!&nbsp;&nbsp;Our experts are waiting for<a href="https://www.greenly.earth/en-us/demo" id=""> your call</a>!‍‍

We share green news once a month (or more if we find interesting things to tell you)

Your request has been taken into account.

What is the carbon footprint of a refurbished phone?

Green-Tok, a newsletter dedicated to climate green news

More articles

Vehicle emissions: what’s the impact on the planet ?

5 Ideas to Become a Sustainable Fashion Brand Company

Everything You Need to Know About Green IT in 2023