How can we make technology better for the world?

Welcome to The Regenerators.

Electronic devices such as smartphones, tablets and games consoles can be very harmful to the environment.

Many of us spend hours on these devices every day. You are probably looking at one right now!

Too much screen time can be bad for our health and bad for our planet. But there are plenty of steps you can take to turn screen time into green time.

It's Daz calling… using future technology! He has an important message about how to treat your electronic devices.

In the UK on average, a child:

• Starts using digital devices before they are two years old.
• Uses a digital device at least once a week by the time they are five.
• Owns a tablet or a smartphone by the time they are ten.
• Spends 13 hours per week watching TV.
• Spends 13 hours per week using the internet.
• Spends 27 hours per week on digital devices by the time they are 15.

Computers, games consoles, tablets and smartphones can help us develop new skills, be creative and feel connected.

But making, using and throwing away digital devices harms the environment and our planet.

The damage often happens a long way from our homes. We can’t see it when we are downloading a new game or streaming a video.

But everyone who uses digital devices shares responsibility for the impact.

The good news is that by working together to change how we think about and use technology, we can all make a big difference to the world.

Digital devices are made using many different raw materials, such as lithium, a metal that is found locked away inside rocks deep in the earth’s crust.

Mining for these materials damages the environment.

A lot of energy is needed to make electronic devices. This process releases greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, leading to global heating.

Digital devices use electricity. Most of the world’s electricity is still made by burning fossil fuels. When these fuels are burned, greenhouse gases are released, leading to global heating and climate change.

Scientists think that our digital devices are responsible for up to 6% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions.

Getting rid of electronic waste (or e-waste) also damages the environment.

Every year, people in the UK throw away 1.6 million tonnes of e-waste. That’s the equivalent of eight games consoles for every person in the country.

Much of the UK’s e-waste ends up in landfill in the UK and in other countries.

Dumping electronic devices in landfill wastes the precious metals inside. Toxic chemicals can leak out of the devices and get into water and soil.

It also means new resources and energy are needed to make new devices.

We’re all drawn to the world inside our screens. But spending hours plugged in is bad news for the world outside.

Here are some ideas for turning bad habits into healthy ones.

• Many digital devices slowly suck power even when they’re not being used. To stop these energy vampires, switch devices off at the wall when you have finished using them.
• Download games in low-power mode. Your device won’t have to work as hard. This saves electricity and helps the battery last longer.
• Bigger, brighter screens use more energy. If you have a choice, use a tablet for a task, rather than a larger computer. Turn down the brightness and the volume. Many devices have an ‘eco-mode’ you can switch on.
• Only stream what you need. If you’re just listening to music, don’t have the video playing too. Choose standard definition (SD) over high definition (HD).

Well done Regenerator, you've completed this lesson. Now let's see what you can remember.

There are lots of activities you can do without electronic devices.

Start with this list of ideas and add any of your own.

Use the diary to write down the fun things you did with your time.

If printing is needed this greyscale version will use less ink.

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