If you have a perfectly good phone ... but are nevertheless eligible for an upgrade ..

[TheCoxwain]

should you 'upgrade' just because you fancy that latest Blackberry or iPhone?


I resisted the urge for the past 5 months ..and finally gave in yesterday when I got an offer for another free upgrade that extends my contract for another 2 years, plus they were offering $75 for my old phone ( they will recycle it - I guess) .. I figured I would need a cell phone anyway ....so why not get the most of what I am paying ...


But am feeling guilty that my self serving action is not in the best interests of the environment.....


someone please make me feel less guilty ....

[nadinbrzezinski]

1. Funny that you should ask

I have had so many fail that I need to do the upgrade out of necessity. Hubby though is still using his five year old phone, but looking at an Iphone, why? Battery issues

[endarkenment]

2. Wel the fone company certainly wants you to upgrade

as they lock you in for another bunch of years at the same time.

[WA98296]

3. If we had populist law makers, it would be great if they would

force the cell companies to warranty the phones for the entire duration the two-year of the contracts they insist on.

[ChazII]

20. Agree with you 100%/ n/t

[SharonRB]

4. I've always upgraded at the end of my two years

Mostly because I've just wanted a new phone. This time, I splurged and treated myself to an iPhone 3GS last week when my latest contract ended. When my contract is up in two years, I have a feeling I'll hold onto this one (part of my justification for splurging). I'm really loving it!

[TheCoxwain]

7. Thanks ... I at least waited 5 months :-)

we all are incurable consumerists !!!!

[Viking12]

19. Not all of us. I've never owned a cell phone.

have no need for one

[notadmblnd]

5. I've been fighting with myself for that very reason.

I have the new every two plan. However, I don't see anything better than I've got which is the MotoQ. I need a phone that has a screen big enough to actually see it without my glasses. I also don't want to use a stylus for touch screens. So I've decided to keep the one I have for now. I can upgrade anytime if they come out with something I like.

[GreenPartyVoter]

6. People buy refurbished phones all the time, so it's not like they are

sitting in a landfill somewhere. (Most of the time, anyway.) The real issue I guess is getting something new that you maybe didn't need and supporting manufacturing of more new products with their resource and pollution issues.

If you feel guilty about that, maybe you can figure out a way to offset the carbon or something? :hug:

[Ian David]

8. You kind of have to.

For one thing, they probably don't make the batteries for your current phone anymore, and your battery will die at the most problematic time possible.

[TheCoxwain]

9. naw .. new batteries are easily available .... there was no problem at all except that my phone was

not as shiny as the new one...

[county worker]

10. To bad you care so little about the environment that you would let the phone company lie to you like

that. You know as well as I that they will just dump your old phone in some land fill and there it will be for eons and eons. Now if you really want to be environmentally friendly I suggest you get a couple of tin cans a long string and some buttons and make one of those phones like when you were a kid. That way you save the cans from going into some land fill.

[TheCoxwain]

11. Please sir .. make your point .. I dont have all day to sit post messages on an obscure board called

Democratic Underground !!!

[Lochloosa]

12. When you do upgrade be sure and donate your old phone to a battered women's shelter.

It may save a life.

[elocs]

13. My cell phone is 4 years old and does exactly what I want: makes and receives calls.

Simple and works. That's it.

[TheCoxwain]

15. If everyone thinks and acts like you - the world would be a better place

Sadly my new phone has been shipped and is on its way ...

[MADem]

18. Mine too--a cheapass NOKIA. Oh, it does have a countdown timer, alarm clock,

can work as a mini-flashlight, has that jazzy loudspeaker thing going on, AND it only cost me twenty nine bucks! Fits in a shirt pocket, too!

I'm coming up on four years with this beauty, too!

[damntexdem]

14. Only if you enjoy being manipulated into an extension of your contract.

Now, if you've lost your phone and want a "free" replacement, a longer contract may be a reasonable way to have to pay for the "free" replacement.

But don't feel guilty -- the environment may survive you. Of course, it would be better to donate the old cell phone, or yourself take it to a service that recycles them.

[yy4me]

16. This may not be true but I was told that phones taken in trade

were inspected for proper operation and if OK, are sent to the troops oversees. I hope that is the case as it would be the best use for them.

I really hope that they do not end up as those "refurbished" ones I see for sale on ebay.

[customerserviceguy]

17. I see you have an atheism avatar

There's this odd little environmental 'religion' out there, and it worships Mother Earth. Does that make any more sense than the paternalistic monotheist religions that you and I have rejected?

Here's the test: Do you feel guilt? If so, think back to when you might have had religion, and see if the form of guilt is familiar. It's not because you wronged an individual, but because you did something that millions of people do every year, but you've been taught to feel 'wrong' about. Sort of like eating meat on Friday.

We all have to do our part to preserve scarce resources, but I tend to find that the people preaching to me that I must do without are not speaking from the entrance of their cave.