Mobile phones
Aim:
To find out about recycling of mobile phones.
You will need:
Container for collecting phones, materials for posters.
Duration:
15 minutes (discussion), then ongoing
Discuss the importance of the mobile phone in today's world. Answer the following questions:
- How many people you know have mobile phones?
- What are the advantages of mobile phones?
- Does it matter what a phone looks like or is it just a piece of equipment?
- Why do people replace their mobile phones?
Mobile phones can be really useful to help with communication between people. Many people enjoy being able to contact their friends and family whenever they want for a chat. But mobile phones can also be used for more serious purposes. For example they are a useful way for trying to track down and reunite people who have been separated by a disaster. In some poorer countries, without good telephone lines, mobile phones offer a new and much easier way for people to contact each other.
Despite their benefits, mobile phones also bring problems. Every year thousands are thrown away when they stop working, or when people just want to replace them with a more modern version. This creates a huge amount of waste. However, it is possible to recycle your mobile phone.
You could set up a collection for people's old mobile phones. Ask your local authority or search on the Internet to find an organisation in your country that collects old phones. Tell your friends and family, and put up posters telling people where they can drop off their phones. When you have collected a few, send them off for recycling.
If you are in the UK look at these useful links: