Repair, recycle and upcycle

Apparently, October is Canada’s first ever Circular Economy Month, an awareness campaign focusing on the importance of waste reduction and recycling.

TELUS and the Circular Innovation Council are encouraging Canadians to repair, recycle or upcycle their “pre-loved” phones or tablets, prolonging the device’s lifespan, reducing electronic waste, and keeping them out of landfills, thus helping toward what is being called a circular economy.

According to a TELUS release, 69% of Canadians say their mobile phone is their most expensive personal item, however less than half of the population has actually repaired their phone and only 12% of us have ever purchased a used device.

Circular Economy Month provides us an opportunity to think about how production and consumption effects our environment. It is also a time to celebrate innovation and reimagine how we produce, use and discard products to increase their value and reduce environmental impacts.

TELUS and its customers have recycled over 3.5 million devices; this year alone, the company has “upcycled” more than 80,000 used handsets into Certified Pre-owned devices.

Canadians can be an active participant in the circular economy this month and all year round by:

  • Repairing pre-loved devices: Canadians can keep their devices longer and minimize waste by visiting one of TELUS’ Mobile Klinik stores to have it repaired, whether it’s a cracked screen, sluggish operating system or water damage, or other issues. Each day, Mobile Klinik refurbishes 300 devices across its more than 125 locations in Canada.
  • Recycling pre-loved devices: Bring a pre-loved device into a TELUS store where the team will responsibly recycle it to keep it out of landfills. TELUS will also plant a tree for every device recycled as part of its mission to plant its one millionth tree. Learn more about how to recycle your device.
  • Upcycling pre-loved devices: Drop off pre-loved phones or tablets at a TELUS store and the team will upcycle them to connect a Canadian-in-need through TELUS’ Mobility for Good® program. TELUS’ Mobility for Good provides access to smartphones for youth ageing out of foster care, low-income seniors and Indigenous women at risk or surviving violence. Find out more about donating your phone.

Reuse and recycle programs for other service providers can be found at Frequent readers will know that I am somewhat partial to the Mobility for Good program. TELUS says that it will recycle phones and tablets, whether or not you are a TELUS customer.

RecycleMyCell.ca. That site includes a list of drop-off locations.

It may be time to fill a box (or two) with the “pre-loved” phones that are filling up space in my office cabinets. I’m hanging onto my Motorola Dynatac brick phone. I’ll be ready in case Hollywood decides to do a remake of Michael Douglas’ walk on the beach in Wall Street.

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