1 00:00:07,133 --> 00:00:10,453 Speaker 1: You're listening to the Saturday Morning with Jack Team podcast 2 00:00:10,613 --> 00:00:11,693 Speaker 1: from News Talks AB. 3 00:00:12,893 --> 00:00:13,453 Speaker 2: Do you know what I mean? 4 00:00:13,493 --> 00:00:13,653 Speaker 1: Now? 5 00:00:13,733 --> 00:00:17,453 Speaker 2: Though? Is Kate Hall also also known as ethically Kate 6 00:00:17,533 --> 00:00:21,053 Speaker 2: on all her socials. Good morning, Kate, Good morning, Hey, 7 00:00:21,493 --> 00:00:24,373 Speaker 2: good thank you. You've got a really interesting topic today, 8 00:00:24,493 --> 00:00:28,493 Speaker 2: because we can't live without technology, can we? Well we could, 9 00:00:28,773 --> 00:00:32,213 Speaker 2: we have in the past, and some communities and some 10 00:00:32,333 --> 00:00:35,493 Speaker 2: communities Kate still choose to live without technology, but most 11 00:00:35,493 --> 00:00:38,213 Speaker 2: of us can see the convenience it brings to our lives. 12 00:00:38,573 --> 00:00:40,733 Speaker 2: But it does have an impact, doesn't it. 13 00:00:41,533 --> 00:00:44,773 Speaker 3: Yeah, totally. I think, you know, I call myself ethically Kate, 14 00:00:44,813 --> 00:00:47,333 Speaker 3: and a lot of people say, well, you know about 15 00:00:47,373 --> 00:00:51,053 Speaker 3: your phone that you're using to share all this sustainable 16 00:00:51,093 --> 00:00:53,933 Speaker 3: living stuff, And there's a whole lot of complexity around 17 00:00:54,373 --> 00:00:58,293 Speaker 3: supply chains of our technology, not just our phones that 18 00:00:58,293 --> 00:01:02,253 Speaker 3: we're talking about, our computers and all the appliances and 19 00:01:02,293 --> 00:01:05,493 Speaker 3: our kitchen, like everything comes with some sort of impact. 20 00:01:06,453 --> 00:01:08,773 Speaker 3: I think you're right, We're very, very dependent on it. 21 00:01:08,893 --> 00:01:11,893 Speaker 3: So I think rather than just saying, you know, throw 22 00:01:11,933 --> 00:01:15,773 Speaker 3: your phones away and live without technology, it's important to 23 00:01:15,813 --> 00:01:21,373 Speaker 3: think about, Okay, what can I do better to engage 24 00:01:21,373 --> 00:01:23,013 Speaker 3: in technology in a more sustainable way. 25 00:01:23,173 --> 00:01:25,373 Speaker 2: So what do we do about the cell phone? 26 00:01:25,693 --> 00:01:30,653 Speaker 3: So I think first and foremost it's important to look 27 00:01:30,693 --> 00:01:34,533 Speaker 3: after your technology really well. I think there's there's a 28 00:01:34,573 --> 00:01:37,453 Speaker 3: lot of talk. Obviously we can think about the supply 29 00:01:37,573 --> 00:01:40,133 Speaker 3: chain of a of a cell phone, right the minerals 30 00:01:40,173 --> 00:01:44,893 Speaker 3: that are involved often mind unethically. You know, that's finite 31 00:01:44,973 --> 00:01:49,093 Speaker 3: resources that are being used to make a phone. So 32 00:01:49,253 --> 00:01:51,293 Speaker 3: if we do have a phone in our lives. You know, 33 00:01:51,333 --> 00:01:53,133 Speaker 3: a lot of a lot of people already have an 34 00:01:53,173 --> 00:01:56,053 Speaker 3: original phone, and I'm not saying, you know, throw that 35 00:01:56,133 --> 00:01:58,773 Speaker 3: out and buy a sustainably made one, but to look 36 00:01:58,813 --> 00:02:01,773 Speaker 3: after it carefully, you know, to have a good case 37 00:02:01,813 --> 00:02:06,653 Speaker 3: for it, to clean it to you know, when you're 38 00:02:06,733 --> 00:02:09,733 Speaker 3: charging it, there's an optimum charging range of keeping it 39 00:02:09,813 --> 00:02:12,413 Speaker 3: between kind of like fifty to seventy percent and not 40 00:02:12,453 --> 00:02:14,693 Speaker 3: just leaving it on charge. That's really good for the 41 00:02:14,693 --> 00:02:18,373 Speaker 3: longevity of a battery. So yeah, looking after it, but 42 00:02:18,413 --> 00:02:21,413 Speaker 3: then also thinking at the end of its life, not 43 00:02:21,533 --> 00:02:24,133 Speaker 3: just throwing it in the bin. That is a huge concern. 44 00:02:24,173 --> 00:02:27,653 Speaker 3: It's actually even illegal in Australia to dispose of tech 45 00:02:27,813 --> 00:02:32,093 Speaker 3: and landfill, so to actually take it to an eWays 46 00:02:32,133 --> 00:02:35,373 Speaker 3: to drop off site or you know, take it to 47 00:02:35,413 --> 00:02:39,253 Speaker 3: somewhere where they could actually use the parts and refurbish 48 00:02:39,293 --> 00:02:42,413 Speaker 3: it or fix it. Even I know that sometimes fixing 49 00:02:42,453 --> 00:02:45,333 Speaker 3: technology can cost more than a new device, which is 50 00:02:45,893 --> 00:02:49,133 Speaker 3: a great shame. And we're hoping that changes with different 51 00:02:49,293 --> 00:02:52,853 Speaker 3: right to repair bills and things like that, but to 52 00:02:52,893 --> 00:02:55,973 Speaker 3: actually not just dispose of it or move it on 53 00:02:56,213 --> 00:02:57,653 Speaker 3: just because there is a new phone. 54 00:02:58,093 --> 00:03:01,973 Speaker 2: To actually we all love a shiny new things, we 55 00:03:02,013 --> 00:03:05,733 Speaker 2: really love it. And do the tech companies know how 56 00:03:05,773 --> 00:03:08,053 Speaker 2: to do one thing. They know how to market to us, 57 00:03:08,133 --> 00:03:10,733 Speaker 2: They know how to go you know, water, that's a 58 00:03:10,733 --> 00:03:13,093 Speaker 2: fine phone, the phone. Your phone's is working, it's perfectly fine. 59 00:03:13,133 --> 00:03:15,053 Speaker 2: But look at this and look at what it can 60 00:03:15,093 --> 00:03:17,093 Speaker 2: do and then how we get it and most of 61 00:03:17,133 --> 00:03:20,253 Speaker 2: us never actually even discover the upgrades that it often. 62 00:03:20,533 --> 00:03:25,373 Speaker 3: Oh no, absolutely, I mean I personally. The first new 63 00:03:25,453 --> 00:03:30,693 Speaker 3: phone I purchased was in twenty nineteen. So up until 64 00:03:30,733 --> 00:03:34,253 Speaker 3: then I had refurbished phones. And the reason I purchased 65 00:03:34,293 --> 00:03:37,013 Speaker 3: a new phone was because it's the main tool I 66 00:03:37,093 --> 00:03:39,293 Speaker 3: used for my job. And I thought, you know what, 67 00:03:39,573 --> 00:03:42,893 Speaker 3: I always refurbished phones weren't doing what I needed it too, 68 00:03:42,933 --> 00:03:45,653 Speaker 3: because I use a lot of these different functions, right, 69 00:03:45,733 --> 00:03:47,493 Speaker 3: So I thought, I'm going to get a new phone, 70 00:03:47,773 --> 00:03:49,613 Speaker 3: it's going to last, I'm going to look after it. 71 00:03:49,653 --> 00:03:51,373 Speaker 3: So that's a different way to look at you know, 72 00:03:51,533 --> 00:03:54,333 Speaker 3: look at things too, is what do you actually need 73 00:03:54,413 --> 00:03:58,853 Speaker 3: it for? And can you get a simpler, cheaper, you know, 74 00:03:59,893 --> 00:04:03,973 Speaker 3: model that that you don't have to keep upgrading and 75 00:04:04,573 --> 00:04:06,813 Speaker 3: just ask yourself for my buyingess because I need it? 76 00:04:07,453 --> 00:04:10,173 Speaker 3: Or am I buying this because you know my friend 77 00:04:10,173 --> 00:04:12,373 Speaker 3: got their latest one and I make one keep up. 78 00:04:12,493 --> 00:04:15,533 Speaker 2: It's really interesting though. You mentioned refurbished tech, and we're 79 00:04:15,573 --> 00:04:18,133 Speaker 2: seeing this more and more now that you know, you know, 80 00:04:18,413 --> 00:04:19,893 Speaker 2: and a lot of the time people don't want to 81 00:04:19,893 --> 00:04:21,453 Speaker 2: have to buy a new phone. Something will happened to 82 00:04:21,453 --> 00:04:24,173 Speaker 2: a phone, you know, they drop it in a poll 83 00:04:24,293 --> 00:04:26,693 Speaker 2: of the toilet or something happens, and you know it's 84 00:04:26,773 --> 00:04:29,013 Speaker 2: it's irrepearable when they go, okay, I need a new phone. 85 00:04:29,173 --> 00:04:31,613 Speaker 2: I'm hearing. But you know, now it's so much easier 86 00:04:31,613 --> 00:04:34,293 Speaker 2: to go off and find a phone which may have 87 00:04:34,293 --> 00:04:37,413 Speaker 2: had a small fault someone's you know, decided to sell 88 00:04:37,453 --> 00:04:39,413 Speaker 2: it to a refurbish it. They fix it up and 89 00:04:39,453 --> 00:04:40,973 Speaker 2: it could be perfectly good to go. 90 00:04:41,773 --> 00:04:45,013 Speaker 3: Definitely we have. There's just so many more options now. 91 00:04:45,093 --> 00:04:48,413 Speaker 3: I remember trying to find a refurbished phone. Yeah, many 92 00:04:48,453 --> 00:04:51,453 Speaker 3: many years ago. It was quite difficult and with less 93 00:04:51,493 --> 00:04:53,933 Speaker 3: options come, you know, that's kind of hard to find 94 00:04:53,973 --> 00:04:56,733 Speaker 3: exactly what you want. But now we just if you 95 00:04:56,773 --> 00:04:59,893 Speaker 3: think about the amount of different models and makes of 96 00:04:59,933 --> 00:05:03,613 Speaker 3: each brand of phone, it's just unlimited, you know, there's 97 00:05:03,653 --> 00:05:08,693 Speaker 3: just unlimitless. So so so I think, yeah, I think 98 00:05:08,773 --> 00:05:12,853 Speaker 3: buying new phones and this whole kind of the marketing 99 00:05:12,893 --> 00:05:17,493 Speaker 3: I think is probably the least sustainable part of technology, 100 00:05:18,213 --> 00:05:22,373 Speaker 3: So being really really careful about purchasing. And it's so 101 00:05:22,573 --> 00:05:25,733 Speaker 3: dangerous going back to the end of life of a 102 00:05:25,813 --> 00:05:30,773 Speaker 3: phone to put a phone into a landfill site. Actually, 103 00:05:30,773 --> 00:05:35,333 Speaker 3: we've had lots of recent fires and tracks rubbish tracks 104 00:05:35,373 --> 00:05:38,173 Speaker 3: seat of collecting our rubbish from the curb side because 105 00:05:38,213 --> 00:05:40,733 Speaker 3: people are just throwing their phones in there, and the 106 00:05:40,773 --> 00:05:43,173 Speaker 3: batteries can heat up and be exposed to all sorts 107 00:05:43,213 --> 00:05:47,413 Speaker 3: of chemicals and yeah, literally set on fire and cost 108 00:05:48,493 --> 00:05:50,173 Speaker 3: a lot of money to repair those tracks to get 109 00:05:50,213 --> 00:05:55,493 Speaker 3: them back on the road. So it's complex the making 110 00:05:55,533 --> 00:05:57,373 Speaker 3: of a phone and also the end of life. We 111 00:05:57,493 --> 00:06:00,213 Speaker 3: just need to do so much better as a society. 112 00:06:00,533 --> 00:06:02,653 Speaker 2: It's interesting. I learned something this week, Kate, which may 113 00:06:02,733 --> 00:06:04,453 Speaker 2: or may not be of interest to people out there, 114 00:06:04,493 --> 00:06:06,533 Speaker 2: But I had to get rid of some polystyrene had 115 00:06:06,613 --> 00:06:10,653 Speaker 2: come in in a new clothes dry and I got 116 00:06:10,653 --> 00:06:13,653 Speaker 2: online found out that Mighty ten will take that and 117 00:06:13,693 --> 00:06:15,573 Speaker 2: dispose of it for you. But then I get to 118 00:06:15,653 --> 00:06:19,093 Speaker 2: minta ten to put my polysty in the in the 119 00:06:19,213 --> 00:06:22,773 Speaker 2: in the big containers there. They'll take your soft plastics, 120 00:06:22,853 --> 00:06:27,773 Speaker 2: they'll take your cardboard, they take batteries, they take light bulbs, 121 00:06:27,933 --> 00:06:32,173 Speaker 2: they're taking they're helping recycle these, you know, these items 122 00:06:32,573 --> 00:06:34,533 Speaker 2: the way they should be, which is absolutely fantastic. And 123 00:06:34,573 --> 00:06:37,053 Speaker 2: it's pretty easy to find a Mighty Tent as opposed to, 124 00:06:37,133 --> 00:06:41,813 Speaker 2: as you say, trying to hide it in the and 125 00:06:41,853 --> 00:06:45,053 Speaker 2: the rubbish to head off to them. That make it so. 126 00:06:44,973 --> 00:06:45,813 Speaker 3: Easy, brilliant. 127 00:06:46,093 --> 00:06:46,333 Speaker 1: Yeah. 128 00:06:46,333 --> 00:06:48,413 Speaker 3: And it's so easy when it's all in one place, too, 129 00:06:48,493 --> 00:06:51,413 Speaker 3: isn't it. Because all of those you know, waste streams 130 00:06:51,493 --> 00:06:54,813 Speaker 3: that can be recycled or reused that you mentioned, if 131 00:06:54,813 --> 00:06:56,573 Speaker 3: you had to go, you know, to a different place 132 00:06:56,613 --> 00:06:59,453 Speaker 3: to drop off all those things, that's quite unaccessible for 133 00:06:59,893 --> 00:07:02,013 Speaker 3: you know, a busy time, poor person. 134 00:07:03,053 --> 00:07:04,813 Speaker 2: Because I rang them and they probably regreted it. But 135 00:07:04,813 --> 00:07:06,773 Speaker 2: I just loaded the car. I can cover off a 136 00:07:06,813 --> 00:07:09,973 Speaker 2: lot of things, so we need to we need to 137 00:07:10,013 --> 00:07:12,853 Speaker 2: dispose of old tech properly. I also because I got 138 00:07:12,853 --> 00:07:15,293 Speaker 2: the new dryer, the old dry which was about fifteen 139 00:07:15,333 --> 00:07:17,613 Speaker 2: twenty years old, had to be recycled, and I wanted 140 00:07:17,613 --> 00:07:19,773 Speaker 2: to make sure that went to somewhere Kate that was 141 00:07:19,773 --> 00:07:22,013 Speaker 2: going to recycle it, properly, use the metal, use whatever 142 00:07:22,053 --> 00:07:24,573 Speaker 2: it could. So I found a waist person. I took 143 00:07:24,573 --> 00:07:27,173 Speaker 2: it down there and I actually just hugely relieved they 144 00:07:27,213 --> 00:07:29,093 Speaker 2: were taking off my handcake. But they pay you for 145 00:07:29,133 --> 00:07:31,773 Speaker 2: your metal. And then they said to me, we don't. 146 00:07:32,613 --> 00:07:34,533 Speaker 2: We don't really pay a lot for dryers. And I said, 147 00:07:34,573 --> 00:07:37,773 Speaker 2: that's absolutely fine. I just want to recycled properly and 148 00:07:38,333 --> 00:07:40,333 Speaker 2: just thank you for taking it off my hands. I 149 00:07:40,413 --> 00:07:42,413 Speaker 2: got two dollars thirty for the dry. 150 00:07:45,253 --> 00:07:45,453 Speaker 1: Sitting. 151 00:07:45,453 --> 00:07:47,333 Speaker 2: I went, okay, and I was like, you really need 152 00:07:47,333 --> 00:07:49,813 Speaker 2: a little charity, but been or something on the top 153 00:07:49,813 --> 00:07:54,533 Speaker 2: of you for people like me, what are you sit down? 154 00:07:54,853 --> 00:07:55,173 Speaker 1: I don't. 155 00:07:55,253 --> 00:07:58,453 Speaker 2: I don't think I'm rolling around the bottom of my handbag. 156 00:07:59,253 --> 00:08:02,173 Speaker 2: But you know, once again, it's not that hard to 157 00:08:02,293 --> 00:08:07,453 Speaker 2: find places to recycle your ewaste or your anything that's 158 00:08:07,493 --> 00:08:08,733 Speaker 2: got some sort of technology in it. 159 00:08:08,853 --> 00:08:12,573 Speaker 3: Yeah. Absolutely, We've got like Echo and Auckland is a 160 00:08:12,573 --> 00:08:17,653 Speaker 3: great place to take all cables, computers, tech sustainability trusters 161 00:08:17,693 --> 00:08:20,933 Speaker 3: in Wellington Ecocentral and christ Church like those are kind 162 00:08:20,973 --> 00:08:23,853 Speaker 3: of the main hubs. But honestly, years ago these companies 163 00:08:23,973 --> 00:08:26,293 Speaker 3: you know, didn't exist or they're very small and didn't 164 00:08:26,333 --> 00:08:30,013 Speaker 3: have the infrastructure to take everything. So yeah, I mean 165 00:08:30,453 --> 00:08:33,653 Speaker 3: now we kind of there's no excuses really to actually 166 00:08:33,653 --> 00:08:36,853 Speaker 3: dispose of things properly and keep all of those missals 167 00:08:36,893 --> 00:08:40,053 Speaker 3: and precious minerals and resources in our resource pool so 168 00:08:40,133 --> 00:08:42,733 Speaker 3: that we don't have to keep pillaging the earth of 169 00:08:43,333 --> 00:08:44,133 Speaker 3: finite stuff. 170 00:08:44,653 --> 00:08:46,533 Speaker 2: Kate, really nice to talk to you this morning. Thank 171 00:08:46,533 --> 00:08:48,493 Speaker 2: you so much for joining us. You can follow Kate 172 00:08:48,693 --> 00:08:51,733 Speaker 2: down on socials as Ethically Kate. 173 00:08:52,333 --> 00:08:55,413 Speaker 1: For more from Saturday Morning with Jack Tame. Listen live 174 00:08:55,533 --> 00:08:58,813 Speaker 1: to Newstalk Z'B from nine am Saturday, or follow the 175 00:08:58,813 --> 00:09:00,293 Speaker 1: podcast on iHeartRadio.