The trade2save blog has been created to champion more information to the public about the environmental impact of the consumer electronics industry. It’s a subject which is quickly swept under the carpet by politicians and manufacturers alike because making any changes to consumer habits would be seen to have a negative impact on the economy. The lifecycle of consumer electronic has shrunk significantly over the last decade, and in reality the number of products being bought and sold has rocketed by more than 300% in that time. It’s now China’s biggest and fastest growing export sector and in part can be blamed for the subsequent increase on China’s demands for energy.

Our aim

We’re all being told to be more energy efficient at home and to buy a Prius - this is all good stuff, but to take things a little further, we believe that Americans should also start to look at the environmental impact of their purchases such as cellphones, digital cameras, computers: all the gadgets we love and can’t do without.The big question is - does that digital camera or mobile phone always have to be bought new, would I be just as comfortable buying a second hand or like new model, which costs less and does the same job?

A pre-owned era is the way forward

When you by a pre-owned product instead of new, it means that you are preventing an extra one being made for you in China. When the trade2save buy sell and trade store is launched later this year, you’ll be able to buy the product you want, in the condition that you want, without adding to the billions of tons of e-waste which is caused each year. So perhaps you could buy the iPhone ‘like new’ with our warranty, which had come from someone who decided to trade it in after only using it for a few months - who in turn wants to upgrade to the 3G iPhone coming out soon. Together you’ve both halved your carbon footprints. Now this isn’t exactly what Bush’s stimulus package would want you to do, but when you think that the value of the consumer electronics market is set to increase another 3 fold in the next decade, its a sure sign that manufacturing demand on energy will only increase along with the extra pollution to the environment though their manufacture and shipping to the America. By trading, the lifecycle of the product you buy or sell can be extended by 3 or 4 times. That’s 3 or 4 times less landfill, less energy demand and pollution from manufacturers - the only by-product being more cash in your pocket.