Stabilizing the Climate for a More Prosperous Generation.

Glasgow climate change conference, which ends on the 12 of November, shines a light the state of earth’s climate.  Also called COPs – which stands for ‘Conference of the Parties’, this year will be the 26th annual summit – giving it the name COP26; with the UK as President.

The conference takes on mammoth issues of our time: carbon emissions, personal responsibility, political action – and how to veer off our collision course with catastrophe.

As more people enter the middle class and become affluent, our consumer habits are driving climate change.

I remember during my days in school: most of us saw computers for the first time in high school and only during the computer classes. Cramming computer parts and knowing a few basics was all the computer knowledge, back then. Those whose parents could afford, took up computer packages after high school, it was serious business. Remember, ICDL? Things have changed now! Almost every household has a pc. Kids, 2 years old, already know how to power up a laptop and even navigate through. Nairobi alone, has approximately 1.5 -2 million computers.

Like everything else, technology and affluence has its downsides. The bulk of the carbon footprint associated with computers is actually buried in the manufacturing chain. Repairing and refurbishing consumer electronics is one of the many paths to zero emissions.

Why refurbished or repaired?

1. Eco-Benefit

A computer is made up of precious metals, these metals are harvested at a gigantic cost, and they are harvested from the earth. If we look at the supply chain from the raw material to the finished product, it is a long line: a line impacting the environment, every step of the way.  Most of all devices are created with materials from at least three countries, huge, right?

• Production Demand.

There is an upward surge of demand for electronic devices. There’s a mad rush for computer chips even from heavy industries like car manufactures and space travel.  A good percentage of people use laptops or desktops for work. More schools are now equipped with laptops or desktops for learning. A growing population, 5G and the Internet of Things are fuelling the surge.

There are so many devices that have been left to gather dust in our homes. Truth is, we don’t need as many devices to be produced every day when we can have devices already in existence refurbished and upgraded.

• Profitability.

Manufacturers know that more production equals to more profits. They manufacture devices that will stop working after a period of time, this means that when the device stops working, the user is likely to get a new product. Most people don’t know that refurbished devices are not only cheaper but they can make a good upgrade as well.

We can participate in the Glasgow spirit and conversation by considering refurbished and repairing, in order to reduce landfill, reduce the carbon footprint and stabilize the climate.