Sustainable phones

Possibilities vs. Challenges

Roger Puks, Kärt Ots, Alise Semjonova, Heidi Taperson

HYPOTHETICAL REUSABLE PHONE

The Pros

• The problem of sustainable mobile devices is still very topical

• Most parameters are user-motivation driven• Using lead-free solders on circuit boards could

prove to be more ecological (health-wise)

The Cons

• The materials used don’t support long-term usage and sustainability– Recycled plastic instead of metal or other long-

lasting materials– Lead-free solders instead of led/tin based solders– All this for a higher initial price

PHONEBLOCKS

The Pros

• Innovative yet reusable• Highly disposable (parts can be replaced with

relative ease)• Parts may be shared with other users• High level of customization

The Cons

• Blocks are probably not salvageable (need replacing in case of breaking)

• Not made of recycled materials• Too much focus on sustainability and eco-

friendliness instead of UX or visual design

How to improve Phoneblocks?

• Focus more on visual design• Ensure the reusability of the blocks so that they

won’t wear out after being disconnected a few times

• Discourage users from constantly buying new blocks

• Devices should keep their performance levels up even after connecting multiple blocks that require more resources