Mobile Aid - Swisscom

How many smartphones do you have at home, which are not used anymore? I am living in a shared apartment with two friends and found out that we have four functional smartphones, which are not in use. I asked my mother and my brother if they still have devices they do not use anymore but still store somewhere in their homes. And yes, both of them have at least one smartphone somewhere in the closet. One might call it lazy that we do not dispose the devices we do not need anymore – I have to admit, that I really did not know what to do with my used smartphone, which still works but might be a little slowly.

What alternative do we have? For my research I learnt that Swisscom shops take back old smartphones and erase personal data and refurbish functional devices. Within the program Mobile Aid, they then sell them as second-hand ware. Phones, which are not repairable, are going to be recycled. The profit is donated to a program named SOS Kinderdorf (Children’s Village), which provides accommodation and food to orphans in Harar, Ethiopia.

This is a way you can dispose your smartphone even with peace of conscience. I already convinced my flat mates and my family – you are next! Swisscom assumes 8’000’000 smartphones in Swiss households, which equals over 40’000’000 warm meals.

Souce:

- https://www.bluewin.ch/de/leben/nachhaltigkeitsblog/2017/17-02/swisscom-nachhaltigkeitsbericht.html

- https://www.sos-kinderdorf.ch/helfen-sie-mit/online-spenden/anders-helfen/handy-spenden

- http://www.realise.ch/