Calculator: Cradle to Cradle
By: Harshida Mistry
Components
Materials
durable plastic casing:
circuits
rubber:
LEDs/LCDs
solar cells
silicon
- microprocessor
Natural rubbers are made from elastic latexes. Latex is a mixture of organic compounds produced by some plants in special cells called caticifers. Natural 'plastic products' occur in such things as animals' horns, animals' milk, insects, plants and trees. A liquid-crystal display (LCD) is a flat panel display, electronic visual display, or video display that uses the light modulating properties of liquid crystals. Liquid crystals do not emit light directly
Life Expectancy
An electronic calculator is a small, portable electronic device used to perform both basic operations of arithmetic and complex mathematical operations.
School
Everyday Life
Engineering
- Medical
Texas Instruments Education Technology products are designed to withstand years of use and graphing calculators can be upgraded with new software.
Decomposing
Everything breaks down eventually -- whether it happens over centuries in a landfill, or while it's still being used. Any given electronic device is made up of various materials, each with its own rate of decomposition. That in itself is a problem, as some items can become toxic or otherwise dangerous when the the more degradable parts have broken down (such as batteries). However, most of the materials used in electronics have a long "life" and will remain in virtually the same form for the foreseeable future.
Electronics regularly contain toxic substances such as mercury, lead, cadmium, arsenic and beryllium, all of which can find its way into the soil, air and water once the more fragile exteriors begin to break down. Batteries are a perfect example; the thin metal exteriors degrade in a century or less, exposing the heavy metals within -- which are elements which never break down and are toxic.Reuse
If you need to dispose of calculator products that are at the end of their useful life or are inoperable, you may find a recycling facility in or around your area through one of the third-party websites below.
Earth 911
My Green
E-Cycling Central
US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
- Canadian E-Cycling
Impact of 3R's on biodiversity
The more we can each reduce our demand for new resources, the less habitat conversion will be necessary to get those resources or the energy to make the products we demand, and the less waste goes into the landfill.
REDUCE
"Reduce" means using fewer resources in the first place. This is the most effective of the three R's and the place to begin. "Reduce" is a comparative word. It says: cut back from where you are now.
When you shop, shop differently. Look for things that will last -- things that are not just durable and well-made, but useful and beautiful enough to please you for a long time.
REUSE
Before you recycle or dispose of anything, consider whether it has life left in it. Reusing keeps new resources from being used for a while longer, and old resources from entering the waste stream.
RECYCLE
Recycling is a series of steps that takes a used material and processes, remanufactures, and sells it as a new product. Buy products made from recycled material. Look for the recycling symbol or ask store managers or salesmen. The recycling symbol means one of two things - either the product is made of recycled material, or the item can be recycled. This would decrease the amount of materials used from the environment.
Bibliography
"Calculator Components - HowStuffWorks." HowStuffWorks. Web. 26 Apr. 2015. .
"EPA." Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. Web. 26 Apr. 2015. .
"Do Electronics Decompose?" Science. Web. 26 Apr. 2015. .
"Calculator Components - HowStuffWorks." HowStuffWorks. Web. 26 Apr. 2015. .