The ecological impact of manufacturing a mobile phone is very high . For each smartphone, the extraction of irreplaceable elements such as gold, cobalt or lithium is required, in addition to more than 40 toxic materials, such as arsenic, antimony, beryllium, lead, nickel and zinc, or heavy metals such as lead, cadmium or mercury. To this must be added the energy cost.
According to Greenpeace, from 2007 to 2017, 968 terawatts were used to make smartphones, almost the equivalent of a year’s supply of energy for India . And this is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to mobile contamination.
One way to deal with this problem is by purchasing a mobile whose construction is more sustainable and ethical . Do you want to know what they are like? And, most importantly, what are they? Discover it here.
The most sustainable mobiles on the market
Sustainable mobiles are those that considerably reduce their impact on the environment, from the moment of the extraction of their materials, to their manufacture, transport and sale. The most sustainable and ethical at the moment are the following:
Fairphone 4: at the forefront of sustainable mobiles
It is the most sustainable smartphone from a brand of Dutch origin that, although it may not sound like anything to you, is at the forefront of all the firms dedicated to the manufacture of this type of mobile.
Their devices stand out for not using conflict minerals, and because they are practically modular , since none of their components are glued together. This means that you can change the battery, the screen or repair it yourself. So, in addition to being good for the world, it’s also good for your pocket.
It has 5G speed, 6.3-inch Full HD + screen, Android 11 operating system, Qualcomm Snapdragon 750G processor, 256GB of internal storage, 8GB of RAM, removable 3905 mAh Li-ion battery, aluminum case and recycled back cover .
- Price : from 650 euros.
Teracube 2e: built to last
The Teracubes are similar to the previous ones and are designed to last a long, long time . And if what fails is the battery, you can change it for free, which will further delay the need to switch to another mobile.
All its minerals are extracted from sustainably treated mines and under decent work criteria.
And yet, it seems incredible that we are facing a high-end model , with all the premium features that can be expected and for a very reasonable price .
It has a 6.1-inch HD+ display, Android 10 OS, MediaTek Helio A25 Octa-core 1.8Ghz processor, 64GB expandable microSD storage, 4GB RAM, 4000mAh replaceable lithium-ion battery. Plus, as a bonus, it comes with a biodegradable case, battery, and screen protector.
- Price : from 170 euros.
Shift 6mq: ready for the future
This one hundred percent sustainable mobile is manufactured by the German company Shift, characterized by building entirely modular mobile devices, which, as in the previous case, we can repair ourselves piece by piece (they even offer tutorials to do it on YouTube). Plus, its components can be replaced on demand , making it more future-proof than others.
The mobile focuses on sustainable and fair production, rather than the latest technology. Still, its processor is fast and the cameras are completely sufficient for everyday use. The only downside is its slightly outdated design. Although this is a matter of taste.
With the purchase, a deposit is required that will be returned at the time the phone is shipped after reaching the end of its days. In this way, the company ensures recycling.
It has a 6-inch AMOLED screen, Android 10 operating system, Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 processor, 128 GB internal storage, 8 GB of RAM and an interchangeable 3,850 mAh battery.
