Reduce Technology Waste

Though they may seem very small and efficient, DVDs and CDs actually have quite a large environmental impact.  They require resources to manufacture, use energy to transport, and create waste when disposed of.  DVDs and CDs are made to be very sustainable and can last for centuries if taken care of properly.  Even so, more than 5.5 million boxes of software go to landfills and incinerators and millions of music CDs are thrown away every year.

 

Much of this waste can be avoided with individual action.  For example, minor scratches can be repaired and whole CDs salvaged by rubbing a mild abrasive, such as toothpaste, on the disc. Additionally, you can avoid waste altogether by simply staying away from hard copies: most software can be purchased and downloaded online, and many local libraries have multimedia offerings available for download. Music downloading may anger the executives at Sony and RCA, but it also keeps CDs out of landfills. DVD rental services do still use discs, but these discs get far more efficient use than purchased DVDs, and they often cost less and are more convenient. If you’re wary of storing all your music and software on your computer, you can purchase a cheap backup device such as an external hard drive to protect and transfer your files.