FOR MILLENNIALS, SUSTAINABLE TECH IS THE NEW SMASHED AVO

By:GulrezTyebji

Remember Tim Gurner, the multi-millionaire property developer who implied that millennials can’t afford to buy property because they’re wasting money on avo toast?

Well, move over smashed avo, because there’s a new ‘luxury’ in town. Just like avo toast, planet-friendly products have become unfairly labelled as a luxury which is causing millennials to throw yet more money down the drain.

YouGov research has found almost six in ten (57%) consumers believe that products that are better for the planet are more expensive. At the same time, the research also found millennials are happy to pay a bit extra for their tech goods in order to do their bit for the environment (washed down with a tasty side of smashed avo, of course).

S U S T A I N A B L E T E C H

While it’s obviously great news that millennials are prioritising sustainable tech and quality, there’s a big problem with the assumptions underlying these stats. The reality is that ecofriendly doesn’t always have to equal more expensive - in fact, in industries like tech, it can actually cost less to buy sustainably. Refurbished tech is the perfect example of a sustainable product that won’t hurt your wallet or the planet. Containing a variety of harmful chemicals to both people and planet, e-waste has increased by 21% in the past five years worldwide.

In fact, e-waste is the fastest-growing waste category on the planet (beating fast fashion) with 52 million tons of e-waste produced worldwide last year alone. Out of that, only 20% is properly recycled, with the rest going to landfill and polluting countries throughout Africa and Asia.

The ubiquity of smartphones has resulted in them heavily contributing to the escalation of this damage through damaging toxins such as chlorine and mercury that can pollute the air and water supply around the landfill.

Phones that get thrown into landfills or into water channels can adversely harm marine life as well as infiltrate into groundwater. When these toxins are absorbed into the atmosphere, they could harm human beings and plants in the form of acid rain.

By saving electronics from a premature death, refurbished phones, tablets and wearables reduce ewaste, which in turn has a substantial and positive impact on the environment.

Reebelo is one company pushing the envelope when it comes to sustainable tech by recycling old tech for a fraction of the price - meaning you can have your avo toast and scroll on your brand-new refurbished phone at the same time.

Reebelo allows consumers and businesses to buy new and refurbished tech devices from big-name brands at a fraction of the cost and sell their unwanted phones as part of the war on e-waste.

Reebelo undertakes a rigorous cleaning, testing, and repairing process involving more than 70 checks to refurbish phones before placing them back on the market, and guarantee a minimum 80 per cent battery life. The devices are always thoroughly tested to make sure they are functioning properly, and in most cases, will seem as good as new.

Refurbished electronics reduce your contribution to e-waste by saving phones, tablets and laptops from premature death with a new lease of life. By purchasing refurbished technology from Reebelo, you’re reducing your carbon footprint and saving money in the process.

In 2022, we have found our work in augmenting the circular tech economy has resulted in the following outcomes:

- 16,000 tonnes of greenhouse gases saved

- 8,000 tons of raw materials saved

- 128,000 devices saved from landfill

- 197 million litres of drinking water saved

- 100,000 trees planted in partnership with OneTreePlanted

In order to rescue sustainable products from being painted with the avo toast brush, brands must do more to address this widespread and inaccurate belief that ‘sustainable’ means ‘more expensive’. For tech brands, this means greater transparency around their sustainability efforts, in order to appeal to today’s eco-conscious consumer.

Over time, the hope is that consumers will begin to associate sustainability with spending less, rather than having to shell out more. With millennials still struggling to save up for a deposit on their first home loan, it’s time to throw out our outdated assumptions about what costs the earth. Now, who’s for avo toast?