Dear readers, I am surprised by the last few years (using an 8-year-old smartphone now) of how people, often in a tight financial situation, change their phones within 2-3 years, no matter what. Behind these practical instruments lies a significant amount of technology, and the programmed obsolescence mindset of manufacturers works against users, forcing them to replace their perfectly usable phones.

That generates a lot of waste!

Recent advances, such as fast wireless charging systems, are great for eliminating the need for fiddling with wires and plugs that will eventually fail. As a matter of fact, this is my main reason for changing my handphone in the near future.

Electronic waste is much worse than "regular" or "normal" waste. The highly toxic chemicals in the batteries and the potentially harmful effects once they leak into the water tables have deep effects on our health. The authorities are merely scratching the surface regarding this issue. In some Asian countries, there are already concerning statistics on the lithium content in the citizens' bloodstream.

In a world stripped of cellular networks, Wi-Fi, and satellite signals—whether by a solar storm, EMP attack, or catastrophic societal collapse—your smartphone might seem like a useless brick.