They are quick, convenient and revolutionary. Everybody has one and many folks would not be able to imagine life without them. The cell phone has changed the way that people interact with each other and themselves. But with all great things come consequences, and the impact of cell phones on our environment is significant.

Cell phones became mass consumer products during the 1990’s and their popularity has since exploded. Today the number of cell phones is astonishing. In 2006 it was estimated that 4 billion cell phones existed globally, 500 million of which were considered redundant. Redundancy has been created by increasing the technical capability of cell phones and by the incompatibility of new phones with old ones.

Cell phone companies have been one of the most successful technical businesses in creating consumer demand for new products by adding cameras, videos and mp3 players. The ‘personalization’ of cell phones has meant that many individuals consider phones an expression of their identity. Personalities change though and cellular companies have made sure that a new and better phone is available during that transition. The average life span of a cell phone is just 12 - 18 months.

The manufacturing of cell phones is energy intensive and requires large amounts of distilled fresh water. Motorola accounts for 74% of its carbon emissions through energy used to produce cell phones. In total, about 50% of the environmental impact of cell phones is created in production. Transport accounts for 25% of remaining impact while cell use and disposal constitute the rest.

In addition, production of a cell phone requires over 40 different materials. Many of these materials are notorious polluters such as heavy metals, plastics and ceramics. Nickel can be found in virtually all batteries and mercury is found in many screen displays. Other hazardous chemicals include arsenic, lead and bromine. The disposal of cells phones thus poses a significant environmental issue. In 2005, around 130 million cells phones were discarded in the US.

The simplest way to reduce the environmental impact of cell phone use is to just use them longer. If everyone used their cell phone for four years instead of one, the environmental impact would be reduced by 40%. Most Canadians consider nature a big part of their identity, so let us demand cell phone companies make lasting products.