I got my first phone when I was 16 as a birthday gift from my mom. I can distinctly remember being in a restaurant when my wrapped “present” started ringing next to me. I was so excited for this gift of freedom that went with my newly acquired drivers license (however I am now realizing the phone was also a way to keep tabs on me with my new wheels…). I have had countless phones since and have been a part of technology’s rapid change - I have had the Nokias, the flip phones, the little keyboarded blackberry, and even one of my favourites - a neon green slide phone. All of these have ultimately brought us to today’s tiny computers in our pockets. So many upgrades, dropped phones, cracked screens, dead batteries. I never questioned what happened after one phone left my hands for another newer one. Now at 34, I am definitely thinking about it and questioning our consumer driven lifestyle to upgrade every year. At this point in time, we all know cell phones. Their shapes have become relatively the same and most of us wouldn’t dream of leaving home without it. We rely on them. They are our communication tool, map, camera, tie to the “real world”. But with these advances in technology (that are quite amazing and helpful) there is also the waste stream that is associated with the production, shipment, use, and especially the disposal of electronics. And if that doesn’t give you a moment to reflect on the resource in your pocket, maybe knowing that we are fishing them out of the fjord will!
Here are some images I made in the lab of the collected phones :
So where am I going with these images? No clue! The research lab at NGI is studying Electronic Waste (aka E-Waste) which I am excited to learn more about it. There could be a potential overlap of the phones we are pulling from the fjord with the studies being done at the lab…. Or maybe its a visual study on how water and salt effects electronics… or what chemicals leach out of the phones…not sure yet!