Cell Phones #2, Atlanta 2005

 

another way. However, the fact that people attempt to find another owner for their phones shows that they perceive it as an object of some value, and more important, an object that holds potential value for others. Their practices suggest that social networks and their supporting technologies could be leveraged as a way of amplifying the communication involved in giving a phone away. This would extend the usage lifetime of phones by increasing the likelihood of finding a subsequent owner for it.

Rethinking How to Evaluate the Sustainability of Objects It also became clear that when we assess the sustainability of a device or object, the design of the object cannot be considered in isolation but rather must be examined in the context of the information and resources available in the object’s environment. It is important to consider both the design of the object as well as the ecology in which it exists. As a simple example, we consider the case of a lithium-ion phone battery. Such batteries contain chemicals and nonbiodegradable materials and are even prone to explosion when exposed to high temperatures; they therefore should not be disposed of with household trash [ 6]. In the European Union, standardized recycling drop boxes for batteries are present in many frequently visited locations, such as supermarkets and post offices, thus making the infrastructure for sustainable action readily available to users of the object through serendipitous opportunity. Information about the availability of battery recycling is also implicitly conveyed simply through the visibility of these resources. In comparison, recycling of the

same battery in much of the United States poses challenges because information about recycling services is not as readily available, and taking sustainable action may require the effort of locating a recycling service and then making an extra trip to bring the battery there. As this example illustrates, when assessing the sustainability object, in addition to considering how the object’s design promotes recycling, reuse, reappropriation, or environmentally responsible disposal, it is also critical to consider the extent to which the ecology of which the phone is a part supports access to information about options, low-effort sustainable interaction, and easy access to other resources necessary to engage in sustainable actions.

March + April 2008

[ 6] “Lithium Ion, Nickel Cadmium, Nickel Metal Hydride Battery Best Practise Guide.” http://www.hpcfactor. com/support/cesd/h/ 0015.asp

Five HCI Challenges for Sustainable Mobile Phones The path to sustainable mobile phones is a complex one that suggests the need to look not only at phones but also at the contexts in which they exist. Clearly, interaction design alone will not solve all of the issues of proliferation and e-waste generated by “disposable” technologies. That being said, we believe interaction design will play a substantial role in achieving sustainable mobile phones and phone practices. We therefore put forth what we believe to be the five most pressing interaction design challenges for mobile phones and their environments from the perspective of situated sustainability.

1. Make information more available. Information about sustainably responsible options needs to be delivered or made more readily available at low effort and cost to the user. Of particular importance is that information be available in a timely