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Cell phones are certainly popular. They are convenient and great for getting you out of jams. No more looking for a farmhouse in the middle of the night while broke down on the lonely, open road. The cell phone is a modern marvel. But is it green? Should you keep a cell phone for emergencies but make most of your calls on a landline? Is a landline greener? Are cell phones bad for the environment? Let's find out.
The Landline
PROS: Landlines are often cheaper to talk on per minute than a cell phone. They are also cheaper for large families. Two additional lines are cheaper than three to five cell phones. Landlines don't have batteries that are hard on the environment. Landline technology isn't really going anywhere. There is no need to upgrade a landline, unless you use a rotary phone. Note: If you still use a rotary phone, you are allowed to upgrade.
CONS: The obvious one is the lack of mobility. Telemarketers can call you on your landline. That industry burns up a lot of our energy. Also, no text messaging. Landlines will probably become obsolete within the next twenty years.
The Cell Phone
PROS: Cell phones are mobile. You can be reached anywhere. Features like GPS, email, Google, and text messaging allow you to remain in contact at all times. They increase your safety. They even make solar-powered cell phone chargers.
CONS: Cell phone batteries are bad for the environment. Cell phones can cause traffic accidents. There are concerns that cell phone radiation can cause cancer. All the fancy features of a cell phone drain the toxic batteries faster, requiring more energy and more batteries. Cell phones also become outdated faster. People will upgrade and dispose of their old models, wasting resources and energy in the process. Portable phones can get lost easier. This also wastes materials.
Conclusion
At this particular point in history, it is probably better to stick with the landline if you have one. Wait a few years before purchasing a cell phone. They are coming out with new models so rapidly that everyone will upgrade over and over before some sort of technological right wall is reached. By all means, keep a cell phone for emergencies. I have a little programmable phone that I use to take with me on camping trips in case I was crushed under a log while hiking. I made it last for years. Still have it, but now I use a proper but non-fancy cell phone. It's unsafe to drive in LA traffic without one. (I tell myself.)
The landline is the greenest choice for the moment, but it will one day go the way of the black and white television. We can only hope the telemarketing industry goes with it.
More on Phones:
Recycle Your Cell Phone for Fun, Profit
7 Ways to Make Your Cell Phone Battery Last Longer
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