Earth Overshoot Day of Finland is today on the 10th of April. This means that if everyone lives like Finnish people, the Earth’s natural resources generated for this year are already consumed. Overconsumption is a root cause of climate crisis and biodiversity extinction. That’s why we should radically decrease our consumption and move to a circular economy. 

Green circular economy aims at athe radical decrease of consuming the virgin materials without affecting negatively on human welfaredecreasing the human wellbeing. The circulation of materials could be much better in Finland because only 7 % of materials are circulating and this is below than the average of the other EU countries. The decisions supporting the circular economy can be made in the municipalities by buying more sustainable and long-lasting devices and materials and by training employees how to use devices in a more sustainable and information-secure way during the device’s lifecycle.

One simple thing to improve, is to increase the recycling rate of smart devices. The smart device’s raw materials are highly reusable. In addition, we should also use our devices longer. 

Tips for more sustainable use of smart devices

  1. Protect and repair. Cover your device properly and phones are repairable in many cases. Keep your apps and phone updated. 
  2. Use devices longer. For example a smart phone can be used for several years. You don’t need to upgrade your phone every two years. 
  3. Invest in quality devices. Consider, what is a good device for you e.g. for the next five years. Compare devices and do not pay extra for the brand. Good second hand devices can be found. 
  4. Optimize your device. Remove energy consuming apps that you don’t need. 
  5. Recycle old devices. Many retailers take back your old devices without a fee. I recycled my old smart phone with information-secure Seiffi service.