Tech | April 05, 2010 | 23 comments

The Scary Truth About Your iPhone

source: http://motherjones.com/environment/2010/03/scary-truth-about-your-iphone

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julesrs007
Mother Jones - Environment + Health → Tech, Top Stories
-- By Dave Gilson


Killer apps: The real story behind your smart phone's innards.

IT'S A CELL PHONE, a camera, a media player, and a handheld computer all in one. But what makes the iPhone such a great tech toy also makes it a perfect example of the often murky, sometimes downright sketchy origins of our electronics. Here's a glimpse of what's really in an iPhone 3GS—and any number of other gadgets, from laptops to game consoles:

We've loaded this iPhone up with 10 apps you won't find on a real smart phone (visit link:http://motherjones.com/environment/2010/03/scary-truth-about-your-iphone). Click on an app to learn where your phone's electronic components really came from.

--Dave Gilson, is a senior editor at Mother Jones
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23 comments // The Scary Truth About Your iPhone

  • iPedro
    • +1
      iPedro  
    • Image

    • The iPhone is only being targeted because it's popular. There are far worse examples of "dirty electronics".

      The iPhone is built with non toxic materials and with a focus on using ones that can be easily recycled.

      The screen's glass is arsenic free, the LCD has 0% mercury, there are no BFR's and the packaging is compact for shipping and is fully recyclable.

      Finally, Apple takes back their phones for proper disposal and recycling. Just drop it off at any Apple store.

      This is far more than can be said for any other phone manufacturer.

      In fact, Greenpeace praises Apple's Green initiatives. See this link: http://modmyi.com/forums/mac-news/696786-greenpeace-praises-apples-clean-manufac...

      While this doesn't solve all the problems cited in the article, the world would be a far better place if other manufacturers followed Apple's example.

      We're not going to stop using technology altogether so instead, we should speak with our wallets, supporting companies that work on reducing their impact and become accountable for the entire life of their product -- from mining materials to recycling and disposal.

    • 2 years ago
  • julesrs007
    • 0
      julesrs007  

    • If people would RECYCLE their cell phones (and other electronics) the unspeakable atrocities happening to children (slave-mining), endangered species (gorillas) and the environmental destruction... etc.

    • 2 years ago
  • cutee_leslie
  • suzane
  • mjsmith11
    • 0
      mjsmith11  

    • THe iPhone is a great invention. The iPad takes it a step further. It behooves us to take note that many things the iPhone enables its millions and millions of users to do so many things that will save time and energy. The iPhone is great for the environment and also save another valuable and irreplaceable resource, time.

    • 2 years ago
  • Davidod
  • Andrew_Douglas
  • TypicalStereotype
  • julesrs007
  • Agent_Alpha
  • iamgaylord
    • +1
      iamgaylord  

    • That is just sad... Yes the whole electronics industry in not the best, cell phones and computers for sure... and you can also say some of that stuff about the electronic in the medical industry as well. If you don't have an Iphone why the smug whining ie; "that's why I don't have one" or the targeted "self righteous iphone bastards could use a lesson like this". I'm sorry you think you have room to throw unbleached Guatemalan river stones at us. Before you do check your low e, off the grid, non toxic houses first!

    • 2 years ago
  • captainplanet71
  • UtopianSky
    • +2
      UtopianSky  
    • captainplanet71:

      Except you also need to include the positive to balance out the negative.

      With widespread adoption of the iPad, HP Slate, and the Amazon Kindle, eventually printed newspapers, magazines, catalogs, and phone books will all become obsolete.

      Think about how much of our landfills are composed of those materials, and how many trees are chopped down for them.

      Imagine a completely paperless society.

      All totaled, these technologies are a HUGE ecological benefit.

    • 2 years ago
  • jesuswho
    • -3
      jesuswho  

    • Burn everything you own unless you made it in the middle of the woods by yourself. This is a dumb as artical and I love all my fancy shit.

    • 2 years ago
  • UtopianSky
    • +1
      UtopianSky  

    • As I said in a similar article- none of this is specific to the iPhone.

      All electronics are manufactured this way.
      Not only that, most of your clothing is manufactured this way.

      Yes, it's all awful- but the alternative is to not have technology, and to spend $50-$100 bucks for a t-shirt.

    • 2 years ago
  • rickm8
    • -1
      rickm8  

    • Good stuff, lots of self righteous iphone bastards could use a lesson like this haha. Not all, for the most part they're good people!

    • 2 years ago
  • Andrew_Douglas
  • Andrew_Douglas
  • Davidod
    • +1
      Davidod  

    • Wow, who would have thought Mother Jones would go for the hyperbolic, LOL? "Scary?" Yeah, OK, I'm scared....

      The author admitted the article applies not just to iPhones, but to ALL electronic devices; he admits that citing iPhone was done simply to get people to look. Hyperbole much?

      Apparently their slogan of 'smart and fearless' journalism doesn't apply to their READERS, but the journalists themselves? Of course you're not fearful when you're delivering the hyperbole.

      Mother Jone's new slogan should be, "Fear-mongering and hyperbole: the Tea Baggers only borrowed it from us!"

    • 2 years ago
  • Denica_Cassandra
  • Incredulous
    • 0
      Incredulous  

    • This kind of profile could and should be done on so many of the items brought to market, and it behooves us to take note of the multi-national corporate wheeling and dealing going on behind the marketing of things we convince ourselves we need. We are stupid for not paying attention to where and how every single item we purchase is being made, and like the city of Troy's fascination with the unknown invention outside their gates, we embrace our own destruction.

    • 2 years ago
  • irie_ojo
  • _dg
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