Humanity is already digital. The planet is still analog.

Photo: Unsplash

Since Darwin's theory of evolution of species, we must keep in mind the concept of humanity's adaptability. Society changes over time and adapts. Habits change, generating new customs. The planet, however, is more enduring, ensuring the existence of living ecosystems for millions of years and continuously regenerating biomes through the centuries.

In the 21st century, society's habits have demanded greater efforts from the planet to regenerate its ecosystems, bringing to light the concepts of conscious consumption and the circular economy.

Some issues are constantly present in the news and on social media posts, such as the effect of plastic on marine life in the oceans. Studies by WWF (World Wide Fund for Nature) indicate that the volume of plastic in the oceans will quadruple by 2050. Alarming!

But in the digital economy, "it does not present productive chains that impact to the extent of more traditional sectors, since, after all, the virtual ecosystem does not act upon the real world."

If you agree with the statement in quotes above, I would like to introduce you to the term e-waste, one of the emerging ESG risks resulting from the growth of telecommunications networks and the use of ICTs, as pointed out by the ITU (International Telecommunication Union). The latest data (2019) published by the E-waste Monitor indicates a global increase of 2.5 Mt/year of e-waste. Currently, a total of 53.6 Mt is generated annually (7.3 kg per capita!), with 4.7 Mt from telecommunications.

In Brazil, the National Solid Waste Policy – PNRS (Law No. 12,305/2010) seeks to address this issue, particularly regarding selective collection, sorting, recycling, and final disposal of waste. The circular economy goes further, encouraging practices that should precede recycling, such as reinserting your old device into the consumption chain for use until the end of its useful life before acquiring a newer model (cell phone, CPE, computer, smart TV, etc.). The good news is that there are already initiatives in this regard in Brazil.

The concept is also applied to telecommunications networks. Whether through board swapping or the decommissioning of sites with subsequent full reinstallation in underserved locations. Initially seen as a cost-reduction opportunity by service providers, this practice is gradually also being recognized as a socio-environmental responsibility initiative. A new mindset that certainly changes choices and decisions.

Another positive aspect of the Brazilian ecosystem is the encouragement of passive and active infrastructure sharing, present in Anatel’s regulations. A public policy that prevents network duplication in service provision. This policy, in place since the early days of the Agency, combats e-waste at its source—reducing the extraction of natural resources and the production chain—and consequently, reducing e-waste disposal into the environment.

When aware of the impact of their habits in an increasingly digital world, individuals, companies, and public authorities include the circular economy in their consumption and investment choices.

By Marcio Lino, originally published in Teletime News on July 3d, 2023