Sustainability of the Use of Mobile Phones

In the last twenty years, there has been a sharp increase in the consumption of the electronic equipment, particularly Information Technology (IT) and Telecommunications ones, such as pc, mobile phones. They are the key to the innovation capability and thus they affect the economic success of developed and developing nations. The price paid for this enormous growth in data rates and market penetration is a rising power requirement of these systems. This scenario demonstrates the need for studies and researches examining the sustainability of this sector according to two critical aspects that are related to the behavioral patterns of the users: the first is the energy consumption of electronic devices and their associated equipment, and the second is related to the conflicting link between potential dematerialisation due to the miniaturisation of the devices and the resource consumption and waste generated in this sector. According to the well-known concept of sustainability, which is to increase quality of life for all without compromising future generations’ ability to meet their needs, this research focused on the several aspects of the sustainability in this sector, particularly the mobile phones one, and on its role in energy efficiency and sustainable development. The increased environmental burden of mobile phones use and manufacturing is due to the short life-cycle of this equipment, and to the consequent growth in sales of the newest mobile devices. So that this non-stop technological progress has created a large potential amount of electronic waste and, at the same time, a rising consumption of resources (such as energy, water and chemical substances) to manufacture new mobile phones. Besides, the behavioural usage patterns, as underlined in this research, lead to the increasing electricity consumption. New challenges require dedicating a massive research effort to a sustainable development, which involve the energy and material efficiency of IT and Telecommunications systems.