The Eco-Friendly Way to Buy your Next Computer

In the past few years, we have all been made aware of the impact the waste we produce is having on our planet.
With the barrage of pictures on our screens of turtles wrapped in plastic, and once idyllic islands now full of waste, we are becoming conscious of what we throw away.
While Apple computers aren’t made of huge amounts of plastic, there are still many many parts to them which left unattended to, have the potential to do lasting damage to our environment.
The electronic waste problem is huge: More than 20 million tons of e-waste are produced every year!
So what’s the answer?
Recycling may seem like a good option, but when it comes to computers, recycling their many parts is less effective than we are led to believe.
13 years ago we began a company which took the computers people would throw away, broke them down and started selling the parts to repair other faulty computers.
Our business has grown, but so has the sheer volume of e-waste.
“E-waste is said to be The Toxic Legacy of our Digital Age.”
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When electronics end up in landfills, toxins like lead, mercury, and cadmium leach into the soil and water.
But in a world where we are bombarded with the next best thing, we are bound to want faster, smarter and newer.
Apple’s ability to produce beautiful design alongside outstanding functionality, means their products are desired the world over. It also means they last well, and can be reused a few times over before they are destined for the scrap heap.
How do you get the mac you want while caring for the environment?
The answer is simple.
Reuse
Repair
Reuse
Why not recycle?
Recycling is great, but on average only 30% of the computers and devices we throw out actually get recycled. Our current system passes our waste from company to company, claiming to have recycled it, when the reality is starkly different. Much of it ends up in countries where the infrastructure isn’t there to dispose of it properly, let alone recycle it.
While Apple are making huge leaps towards caring for the planet with their recycling schemes and their investment in renewable energy, the fact still remains that the world is flooded with millions of devices which often are only used for a couple of years, before being replaced with the next best thing. They have even got ‘Daisy’ on the task - their new robot that dismantles iPhones.
This is all good, but if you ask anyone who knows their stuff about sustainability, they will tell you it is better to reuse than recycle.
You can read more about Apple's recycling policy here.
One of the ways we seek to provide a more sustainable way of owning and disposing of computers is with our trade-ins policy. You can trade in your old laptop against the price of your next second hand machine. Once you have decided on your next machine, you can then take advantage of our 12-month warranty on any refurbished machine you buy.
This means you have the same 12-month warranty you would get from Apple when buying a new machine.
When attempting to live a more eco conscious lifestyle, it can be hard at first to sacrifice the things we want and have been used to owning, for the sake of making more ethical and eco choices.
But when buying a new computer, you can have a huge range of choice, and still buy in an eco responsible way without sacrificing on design, functionality, or price.
We have a guide here to help you consider which machine may best suit your needs. If you can’t find what you’re after, or perhaps you need a little help in deciding, contact us and we can advise you.