Tech
Sustainable equipment: easily repairable and modular devicesObjectives
- Choose products that allow you to prolong their lifetime and reduce your environmental footprint
Green Value indicator
Reduced environmental footprint as less waste is generated and fewer new things have to be producedExplanation
Lifetime extension of electronic devices is vital for a more ecologically sustainable project management. This might involve some repairing or cleaning from time to time and a careful use of the devices. Some devices are more suitable for this purpose than others. When purchasing new electronic equipment for your office take their modularity and reparability into account. Generally, it can be said that a PC is easier to repair than a laptop. When it comes to laptops, some can easily be opened with screws and a deficient part can be replaced or upgraded. However, completely sealed devices such as Mac Books are hard to repair. If you need help with repairing, there might a Repair Café in your town or you ask the IT-responsible in your organisation.There are too many devices on the market as to give you specific Good Practice examples and you might have individual needs. However, the following website is up to date and might help you in finding a device that is repairable, which leads to extended lifetime: Page
Specific examples:
- Fairphone, Shiftphone
PROS/CONS of the action
Pros:- Reduces organisation’s budget spending on hardware
- Instead of buying a new device because something minor is broken, you can fix it for a low price
- Even if your organisation does not fix it, it can be repaired by its second user
- Who fixes it?
- Maybe the newest I-phones are more prestigious than a fair-phone
- Repairing something is more related to one’s personal life, not so much in the context of a company: some bosses or employees might not appreciate this practice
Certified
Not CertifiedLink to useful sources
Guide to Greener Electronics:Our Digital Carbon Footprint: What's the Environmental Impact of the Online World?
Repairable Products Make Good Sense
Repair Café website: here you can find repair cafes
