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Circular Actions
What does circularity mean in practice when it comes to electronics?
Reevaluate
Think about what electronic devices you truly need before making a purchase.
One of the best actions you can take when it comes to electronics circularity is only buying and acquiring what you truly need.
Revalue
Not all new devices and not all new tech is necessarily right for you. Consider what is truly useful to you before jumping to buy the next and newest gadget.
It is also good to reevaluate from time to time whether you still need all the devices you have. If something still works but you do not need it, consider selling or donating it. If it no longer works, consider repairing or recycling it.
Rethink
Consider how you are using electronics and tech. Where is it adding to or taking away from your life and business? Sometimes less is more.
Cluttering and hoarding devices keeps valuable resources from being reused. The secondary materials harvested from e-waste often require less water and less energy to produce than mining new virgin materials out of the ground would.
Reconsider
Is that new device really something that will give you value, or could you repair and reuse what you already have?
Sometimes you also do not need a whole new device or system of devices, but a smaller upgrade might also do the trick. This could be through a software update, a replacement part, or a smaller piece of add-on equipment.
Relocate
Misplaced your cable or earbuds? Try searching for them rather than just buying new ones.
If you know you still have an old piece of equipment laying around that could work for your current needs, try locating it and seeing if it could work before you head out to acquire something new.
Reorganize
A lot of us have a drawer full of old electronics at home, including a bunch of devices and cables that it would be time to recycle. Similarly, a lot of us often cannot find the cables and small devices we actually need when we need them.
Both of these issues are solvable through a bit of reorganization.
Rediscover
You probably already have a lot of the devices you need at home. Have a look what you already have and how you could repair and reuse these to serve your needs.
And who knows, that old music player or game consul of yours might just be a "retro gem" that you could get a lot of renewed joy out of?
Reclaim
An old device is not a bad device by default, so show your old devices some love and see what use and joy they can still bring you.
Reclaiming what you already have and getting new (or longer) use out of it is not only good for the environment, but it can also save you money.
Refill
Make sure to refill the cartridges of your electronic devices that run on refillable inks, liquids, or gas — such as printers, e-lighters, e-cigarettes, vapes, electric grills, bunsen burners, and soda machines.
When purchasing new devices, it also makes sense to check that these are indeed refillable and reusable.
Reduce
Consider reducing the amount of electronics you buy, and the amount of time you have them running for, to save both resources and energy.
Reducing consumption does not have to take away from your life. You might get more out of consuming consciously, and only acquiring and using, what you truly need.
Refuse
Refuse to just buy and dump your electronics over and over again.
Remember that no is a full sentence, and you can pass on just buying new and disposing before you repair. The choice is yours to make if you want to.
Reject
Rejecting the concept of "FastTech" (which is the equivalent to fast fashion for electronics) and buying durable and repairable devices is a way to control your own impact and change the market.
What you buy as a consumer or business user of tech matters. What you put on the market as a producer or seller also matters. This does not have to be something that is cheap, poorly built, and not meant to last, and it is possible to say no to these types of products.
Recharge
Buy rechargeable electronics and recharge your device when the battery is dead, rather than buying something new.
The life of a battery can be extended by taking good care of it. Batteries should not be over- nor undercharged, and this is something producers typically provide guidance on in the user instructions for your device. It is also a good idea to make sure you are using suitable cables for charging and taking the necessary measures to prevent overheating.
Restart
If your device is not working properly, try restarting it. This small measure can often already solve the problem.
Producers often provide guidance on different ways to restart devices, in case the ordinary method of restarting should not be working. Having a look at the user instructions can therefore often be helpful.
Reinstall
If your electronic device is not running as it should, consider if it might be a software issue that could be easily fixed through reinstalling the original or an alternative software.
Many devices stop working properly if the software is not running properly. This, however, does not mean your device is broken or waste. It could simply means the software needs reinstalling or updating.
Reboot
If making different changes in the settings of your device is not enough to get it to work properly again, you can also try rebooting your device.
Rebooting your device closes all running programs and reloads the operating system. This can often help to get rid of issues that might be slowing your device down or causing it to not run as smoothly as it could.
Reset
If restarting or rebooting your device is not enough to get it to work properly again, you can also reset it or return it to the factory default settings (known as a "factory reset").
Just make sure to back up your data before doing this, so you do not lose all your files!
Reconfigure
Sometimes electronic devices do not work correctly because they are not configured correctly or do not work properly with the broader infrastructure or system you are using them in.
Consider if there might be a way to reconfigure your device to working in its broader context, before tossing it to the side and buying a new device.
Restore
Restoring your electronic devices is also a way to restore the planet!
New devices require new resources. Fixing and continuing to use old or existing devices avoids the extraction and use of ever more of our planetary resources. That is why it is important to care for, repair, and use devices for as long as possible.
Reuse
Reusing your existing device over and over again is a great way to reduce the adverse impacts it has on people and the planet.
Reuse is a "circular superpower" in that sense, and the great thing is that everyone can use it if they put a bit of thought and effort into it.
Renew
If something is not working properly with your electronic device, that does not mean it is waste by default. Your device might just need a bit of love and care, and a software update or a replacement part.
It is always good to try to renew what you have before turning to buying a new product.
Renovate
A renovation does not by default mean all the old electronics need to go. Look at what you can still use and consider "renovating" your electronics just like you will be renovating the ceiling, walls, and fundament of your house.
For example, an old lamp might look nice with a new lampshade and does not need to be replaced entirely. Similarly, rewiring an old lamp rather than throwing it out and buying a new one can be a solution.
Rework
Parts from old electronics can be reworked into new things with a bit of planning and creativity.
When electronics are disassembled in place of shredded, it is possible to recover usable parts that can then be integrated into new electronics.
Retouch
Scratches on the outside of your device do not mean your device is worthless.
If scratches are bothering you, consider buying a protective case to cover up the scratches or replacing the device's screen and/or exterior casing to give it a fresh look.
Using screen protectors and protective casings from the get go can prevent damage and scratches all together.
Repair
If your device is broken, repair it or have it repaired. You can extend the lifetime of your device and also save money this way.
If you do not want to pay for a repair but are unsure of how you can repair a device yourself, consider going to a repair café. A lot of big cities have repair cafés spread across different neighborhoods.
Reassemble
If your device has come apart, that does not mean that it is trash by default. If the case is just a bit loose, you can try to pop it back into place. If the device is falling apart a bit more, you can bring the parts to a repair location to see if they can reassemble and salvage your device.
Even a device that cannot be salvaged may still have a value. Broken electronics can serve as a source of spare parts, so make sure to pass your device onto a refurbisher or collection site.
Refurbish
Many old electronics that are no longer being used still mostly work and would be back up to full speed with a few small repairs. When these devices are refurbished, they do not go to waste but have a second or third life.
If you are getting rid of or buying a device, consider the refurbished market.
Retrieve
Retrieving our (small) electronics when we have left them with others or in places they should not be is a good idea across the board.
While our devices might be clutter and eventually waste in one place, we might still have use for them ourselves (and we also can avoid making unnecessary new purchases by retrieving what we already have).
Resell
If you do not need your electronic device anymore, try reselling it rather than tossing it in the drawer.
Most devices lose value over time, so it is a good idea to sell on devices quite quickly after realizing you no longer need them yourself. This allows devices to be used throughout their whole lifetimes, and it gives you money and more drawer space.
Repurchase
When buying a new device, consider buying a used or refurbished device. Alternatively, rebuying a device you have had in the past and know works well can also be a good idea.
Buying and rebuying spare parts to fix your device and prolong its lifecycle is often also an excellent idea from a circularity perspective.
Return
Return your broken electronics and waste batteries, so they can be recycled.
Please do not throw electronics and batteries into the regular waste, as this can cause battery fires and put workers in danger. Instead, always bring your broken electronics and waste batteries to an official collection site.
Recycle
Make sure to bring your broken electronics to formal recycling locations, so they can be treated and recycled properly.
The recycling of metals, minerals, and raw materials from e-waste frees these resources up so they can be used again in new electronics (including in renewable energy technologies, such as solar panels and wind turbines).
Rescue
A lot of the devices that are labelled as e-waste actually still work and some of these can be rescued and reused.
Reusing existing device saves energy and it reduce the need for mining. Both of these things can have a positive impact on people and the planet.
Repurpose
Old electronics can be reworked into new things with a bit of creativity.
For example, those old fairy lights that you have from a few years ago and no longer use can find a new purpose in your Christmas wreath this year.
Recover
E-waste contains valuable materials and so-called "critical raw materials".
These materials are not waste and should not be treated as if they had no value. Instead, they should be recovered so they can be used in new electronics.
Reprocess
Reprocessing waste to turn it back into something useful and valuable plays a key role in circularity.
E-waste does not have to be waste. It can be a source of useable spare parts. It can also become an "urban mine" or a resource for secondary metals, minerals, and other raw materials.
Reintegrate
E-waste does not always have to be broken down completely to become reusable. It is often possible to salvage spare parts and reuse these "as is". This saves energy, resources, and costs.
Remanufacture
Remanufacturing faulty or defect electronic components can be an effective pathway to circularity.
Remanufacturing is not the same as recycling, refurbishing, or repairing. Instead, remanufacturing is about reusing the components of an existing product to create a new product. This product will then likely be sold as "new" or "remanufactured", and its adverse impacts on the environment and people are likely to be smaller.
Reimagine
Does the way we use tech now, and does what we consider as "innovation", actually make sense? Or could there be other pathways and solutions to move forward?
Our purpose and the direction we are headed in make sense to think about from time to time. Tech can be a force for good if we actively choose to use it that way. Without consideration or reflection, tech can however also cause bad or negative outcomes.
Reinvest
We, as societies, invest a huge amount of capital into electronics and tech, but less so into social and environmental causes.
What could the world look like if we were to rechannel a part of those investments into different communities and ecosystems, and to give back a bit more than we do now? How could reinvesting capital into circular and sustainable systems be a catalyst for change? All these things are good to consider from time to time.
Reinvent
Some of the current processes used to extract and refine both virgin and secondary metals, minerals, and raw materials could become more cost efficient, more sustainable, and more ethical. Thinking about how we can reinvent the solutions and systems we use can therefore have a huge impact.
Redesign
The design of electronics determines the materials and energy they will need, how durable and repairable they are, and what impacts (both good and bad) they will have on people and the planet. That is why carefully and consciously reconsidering the design of devices, and redesigning devices where sensible, can have such a big positive impact.
Remake
There is no need to redesign a winning product. If something continues to work well and it is durable, the innovation can also be in creating and using support systems to keep it in use longer.
Review
Reviewing what you need from your electronic devices and what impact or energy consumption these have from time to time is a great way to keep their adverse impacts in check.
You might be able to detect a fault causing higher energy consumption or another issue with your devices this way.
Rewind
Give yourself a break from your electronic devices from time to time. It could help both you and your device to "cool off" a bit (and even prevent overheating on hot summer days).
React
There is no need to blindly go along on every trend or to be pulled into never-ending doom scrolling. You can take a step back and actively decide how to react.
Reacting consciously rather than passively to tech can reshape the way we choose, use, and recycle it. Those are all things that matter for the environment and communities.
Rebelieve
When reading up on the adverse impacts of e-waste and AI through mining, energy and water use, as well as poor waste management, it is easy to lose hope.
A better world is however possible, but we can only make it a reality by rebelieving that something better is possible and attainable.
Recuperate
Reduce your screentime and turn off your devices from time to time to give both yourself and your devices a break.
Your mental health and "device health" might just thank you in the long run.
Recollect
Recollecting our thoughts from time to time can help us slow down, reconnect with our values, and take actions with clarity. This is a practice that can help us take more circular actions in relation to our electronics and more broadly.
Reclaim
We often feel like we have no power or say in how tech or the digital world shapes our lives, but that is not true.
You can reclaim your say through continuous active choices. You do not need to use every new gadget and every new app, if you do not want to — and you might also be protecting the planet and your own (mental) health through it.
Retell
E-waste and electronics circularity do not always get as much attention as they deserve. So, if you have recently learned something new about either of the two, why not reshare this with others?
No one is asking or suggesting you start preaching to others, but sharing a useful fact or two with others under good intentions can have a bigger impact than you might imagine.
Reassure
Circularity is a team sport, so be a good team member and a good cheerleader! Offer support and reassurance to others, who are pushing the circular economy forward.
We all struggle from time to time, but together it is possible for us to move the transition forward. Reassurance is a key ingredient in effective collaboration, and it only takes a few kind words or a few genuine remarks from time to time to achieve.
Remap
Circularity requires the alignment of a lot of different players and pieces to work. To create change, different organizations, governments, communities, and sectors need to be brought together. Stakeholders, infrastructure, funding and timelines, regulation and incentives, behavior and implementation pathways, as well as procurement and logistics across entire value chains or value networks need to be aligned. Mapping and remapping therefore play an important role.
Retry
Circularity often requires a lot of trial and error to get right. It is therefore important to not give up too quickly and to keep trying.
Small changes and modifications compound over time, so give yourself the permission to take small steps to move forward, even if the impact is not immediately that what you imagined or wished for.
Reconnect
Reconnecting to nature and with our loved ones can be a great starting point for taking action, because it can help us find purpose, clarity, and courage.
We each have the agency to create change in small ways through our work and what we consume. Finding ways to embed circularity in how we use electronics is one way in which we can take action to improve the world we live in.
Redistribute
The tech gap means that some people do not have access to helpful or currently essential technologies, while others may have an abundance of access.
If this is something you are interested in helping to tackle, it might be worth considering if you could donate excess functional devices that you have to others who would otherwise have no access to these.
Regenerate
Tech can play a key role in helping to regenerate ecosystems and the planet. From renewable energy technologies to waste management systems, tech has the ability to do good.
Perhaps, we should therefore ask ourselves more often what tech we are creating and what tech we are using our finite resources to produce. Do the choices we are making truly make sense, or could something else be better for us and the planet?
Renew
Protecting ecosystems and helping to renew the planet through sustainable choices and by transitioning over to circular economies is something each of us can and should be playing a role in.
How we approach and use electronics and tech plays a part in this. Therefore, understanding what to do with our functioning and broken devices is important.
Recreate
No one is asking us to recreate the world from 10 or 50 years ago, but asking what progress really is from time to time cannot hurt.
Are mountains of trash progress? Probably not, and that is why it is time to rethink what we are doing in the electronics space. One solution here can be recreating more durable (and slightly simpler) solutions and devices from the past, if they still serve current needs or can be tweaked to do so.
Regulate
What regulations and the law say about electronics and e-waste matters. This shapes the rights of consumers, the obligations of producers, the opportunities for recyclers, the role of the government, and the repercussions when someone fails to live up to the standards.
Therefore, one of the key tools for creating change around e-waste and electronics circularity is pushing for better laws and regulating the things that matter.
Revolutionize
A different and better future is possible. E-waste does not have continue to exist as it does now.
Together, it is possible for us to reimagine and revolutionize electronics in a way that is circular, sustainable, and just.
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