Almost all of our gadgets run on batteries.
We love the convenience of not having to plug things in or being about to use them anywhere.
Headphones, speakers, smartphones, evendrum machines and synthesizers, they’re all untethered from the wall.
Tyler Lastovich / Unsplash
But this convenience is often why our gadgets die after just a few years.
Shouldn’t the law step in and change this?
“When it comes to batteries, most gadget users are not looking for a long-term solution.
Claudio Schwarz / Unsplash
“This is one of the reasons why many gadgets come with sealed, non-replaceable batteries.”
Every time you use and recharge a battery, its capacity diminishes slightly.
Depending on your usage, this can reduce useful battery life to a few years.
Typically,manufacturing and shipping are responsible for the majorityof the lifetime carbon emissions of any gadget.
Claudio Schwarz / Unsplash
And that last point is an important one.
Batteries are often shaped to fit the tiny spaces inside a equipment and glued into place.
This can lead to larger devices with shorter battery life.
The European Parliament is alsoworking on an EU-wide version.
Ideally, this index would include an estimate of the battery life of every product.
When it comes to batteries, most gadget users are not looking for a long-term solution.
“After three years of use, my second-generation model is starting to need more frequent charging.
It is time to replace it.
It’s even possible to replace the batteries in AirPods.
If a third-party company can do this, then Apple certainly could.
