Got a old phone sitting around collecting dust?
There was a feature on the news tonight that caught my attention because it was related to what we learned in class as well as to my previous post. It was basically saying that due to planned and perceived obsolescence it has become the norm to replace our cell phones every two years or so. They interviewed people on the streets of Vancouver and it’s alarming the fact that most of them have already gone through five to fifteen cell phones.
The point – apart from the need to completely reform consumer mentality – is that rather than letting these perfectly functioning phones waste away in the depths of our drawers we can donate them! There are local non-profit organizations who have started initiatives like Phones for Fearless where you can donate your old phones to residents of the impoverished downtown eastside neighbourhood.