Neither of the two giants in Apple and Microsoft do much in the way of making their devices easily repairable or upgradeable, and while trying to keep their stuff proprietary as much as possible is understandable it’s not good how so many PCs and other computing devices are discarded and end up as electronic waste instead of being repaired. The basics of electronic device repair aren’t that difficult to get, and you might be surprised what can be done with know how, a steady hand and some soldering skills.
Working on devices that are able to access the web is a huge part of daily life for so many people, and it will be beneficial to try and limit the amount of e-waste we create when getting rid of ones that could still have a longer working life. This is why it’s good news that Microsoft has announced that they are going to make desktop and notebook PC repair much more accessible to people. This will also have huge benefits for providing fully functional computing devices to developing regions of the world where they will assist with education and other interests.
Trying to minimize their environmental footprint is a priority for any quality Canadian web hosting provider in the same way it is for all businesses these days, and at 4GoodHosting we see the value in making people aware of news like this that is in line with environmental interests related to digital devices. E-waste is a problem, and it is going to be very beneficial if people can have their computers and other devices repaired more easily so they don’t have to keep buying new ones and furthering the cycle.
Around a Trend
A large portion of the carbon emissions associated with the devices we own are made during manufacturing. Replacing products before the more real end of their working life causes those emissions, pollution, natural resource use, and land degradation associated with extracting and refining raw materials go way up and there is more toxic e-waste polluting the environment in places like Agbogbloshie, Ghana and Guiyu, China.
The White House is already moving towards legislation that will have the US FTC dismantling repair restrictions around phones and electronics, and this is something that has long been needed here in North America and around the world. It’s also about ensuring that lower income families or individuals can have the same degree of web connectivity to go along with the basic rationale of being able to repair something you use as a tool in the same way you do your motor vehicle.
Both take you to destinations in a sense. The reason you’re soon going to be able to take Microsoft products to 3rd-party repair services OR fix them more easily yourself is because of As You Sow, an activist group that promotes companies being more aware of the environmental degradation levels that come excessive e-waste resulting from the shortened lifespans of devices. They were able to make this request as part of an original shareholder resolution that they were entitled to present.
Their request is that Microsoft analyze the environmental benefits of making its products easier to repair, and now Microsoft is promising to ‘expand the availability of certain parts and repair documentation beyond Microsoft’s Authorized Service Provider network.’ They are also going to offer new mechanisms to enable and facilitate local repair options for consumers, allowing them to have their Microsoft devices repaired outside what is now a limited network of authorized repair shops.
Right to Repair Movement
Just this summer US President Joe Biden issued an executive order instructing the Federal Trade Commission to craft new rules around addressing unfair anticompetitive restrictions on third-party repair and as of right now 27 states are looking at passing right-to-repair bills, and New York has introduced the first-ever national right-to-repair bill that targets all sorts of consumer products that should be repairable if parts are made more readily available from the manufacturer.
A similar type of request has been made to Apple, and industry experts say it is very likely that all major manufacturers will need to be able to prove they are operating in a more ecologically friendly manner. All sort of consumer electronics should be made easier to fix yourself, and although that will mean fewer products being produced and sold it really is high time that something like this happens considering just how problematic planned obsolescence and the like really are.
We are definitely fans of the Right to Repair Movement, and we’re happy to see that there are similar movements here in Canada that are pushing for the same sort of outcomes. If you don’t already have a soldering iron at home, it might be time to get one.
