Producing, using, and disposing of electronics has a significant environmental footprint.
Reduce your environmental impact by purchasing new electronics and computing equipment only when necessary, and choosing reused or refurbished options whenever possible.
When purchasing new electronics, choose energy efficient models. Maximize the life of used electronics by repairing, refurbishing, donating or reusing functioning equipment. At the end of a product's life, ensure electronics are recycled responsibly via UBC's e-waste recycling program, available to students, staff and faculty members for both personal and departmental e-waste.
Choose
- Energy efficient, certified equipment (i.e. ENERGY STAR or EPEAT)
- Re-manufactured or refurbished equipment
- Suppliers with capacity to re-manufacture or recycle products responsibly at the end of their life
- Repairing, refurbishing, and donating equipment, to extend product life
- Equipment with reusable packaging and materials
- Electronics recycling by a certified company that recycles electronic waste locally and responsibly
Avoid
- Purchasing new electronics, when reused or refurbished equipment is available
- Recycling functioning equipment, when it can be reused or refurbished
- Products with Styrofoam or excessive packaging
- Electronics disposal or 'recycling' by a non-certified recycler. Products may end up overseas and disassembled, with significant human and environmental costs. For a list of recommended external recyclers and cautions, see here
