In Your Opinion Podcast
How iPhones, fast fashion spur the throwaway culture
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Upgrading to the latest iPhone might be exciting, but consider the impact of our throwaway culture and what happens to our old items.
ST GRAPHIC: CHEN JUNYI
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Synopsis: Every second Wednesday of the month, The Straits Times takes a hard look at Singapore’s social issues of the day with guests.
Annual launches like Apple’s iPhone have spurred the desire to own the latest piece of technology, as consumers face marketing tactics for smartphones to fast fashion.
Usually, older items that are replaced are being tossed away to make way for the new.
What else can be done to the replaced items apart from sending them to the landfill?
In this episode, ST assistant podcast editor Lynda Hong examines whether Singaporeans also have a throwaway culture that’s grown despite years of public education and outreach.
Are we too quick to chuck stuff to make way for new ones? For example, is the iPhone 17 worth the upgrade from the iPhone 16?
Her guests are Mr Tan Ching Hwee, founder of myhalo, a platform allowing users to trade-in, repair, sell, and buy used digital devices; and Mr Lionel Dorai, executive director of Zerowaste SG, an NGO that advocates for Singapore to go zero waste through public education.
Highlights (click/tap above):
9:03 Upgrading from iPhone 16 to 17
12:53 Batteries in phones can be replaced
17:03 Pairing earbuds from different sets - does it work?
23:44 The repairing culture in curbing throwaways in fast fashion
31:46 How to decipher green washing tactics
35:34 Would CDC vouchers to subsidise repair costs encourage more to repair?
Produced and edited by: Hadyu Rahim
Executive producers: Ernest Luis & Lynda Hong
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