I don't have a cell phone.
Well, that's what I usually tell people anyway, because it's too hard for most people to grasp the full story. They get seriously boggled by the fact that I don't have a cell phone permanently attached to my hand and/or ear and just get stuck there. Telling them I don't have a cell phone lets me off the hook on the full explanation and gives them permission to sit there being astounded for however long they need without trying to understand my stance on cell phones in any more detail.
The full truth is this: I have a cell phone and it spends 99% of it's time in my desk drawer. Turned off. By choice. I will very occasionally get it out and turn it on if I'm going to be traveling or perhaps if it's required for fieldwork for school, but that's about it.
Once upon a time we had cell phones and we used them just as much as anyone else. Then I lost my job, and a little after that we got foreclosed. Cell phones went from being a necessity that we just took for granted to a luxury that we couldn't afford.
It was a little strange at first to not have one any more, but I got used to it quickly and came to enjoy it a great deal in just a few weeks. The sense of being always available was gone. If I left my home, I would be out of touch for however long it took me to get my errands run or walk the dog, or whatever else I might be doing. It was freeing to know that my time was my own and that I could focus solely on the task at hand without the extra interruptions a cell phone inevitably provides.
If you have any sort of mindfulness practice, you'll appreciate this quickly. If you don't, giving up your cell phone even for a few hours each week might be a good way to start. We find ourselves pulled in so many directions, with so many distractions all day long, every day. It's stressful and it makes us lose our sense of our true selves. The cell phone is just one way that we choose to be constantly connected to a hundred little demands on our time and attention. At times, for many people, this is absolutely necessary. It is also essential though, that each person have a reprieve, a chance to disconnect from the rest of the world for a bit and recenter. A chance for the stillness inside to reassert itself and bring calm to our lives, without the shrill interruption of a phone.
These days, we keep one prepaid cell phone that we share the use of, as we each need it. It cost us all of I think $10, and about $100 per year to keep it active with more minutes available than we're likely to use. We'll keep it until it just can't be used any more, and then we'll recycle it.
And this leads me to the other thing I've come to realize about cell phones-- really, about technology in general. Gadgets become outdated so fast these days. The technology is just moving forward at a breakneck pace, and while that's thrilling, it's also greatly increasing our consumption and waste. Your cell provider will always be trying to encourage you to buy a new phone at the earliest opportunity. They want your money. But I would urge you to consider if you really need a new phone, or if the one you already have will continue to serve for a year or two more. It's a simple way to reduce our consumption and waste.
Sometimes you will need a new phone, of course. You have options on what you can do with your old phone. If it's not functional, there are a number of large chain stores that offer cell phone recycling bins. I know I've seen them at Best Buy, and some Whole Foods will also offer cell phone recycling. If you do a little internet search for your area, you should be able to find a place to recycle your dead phone pretty easily. There are ways to recycle them that are as simple as printing a free mailing label and tossing it in a mail box. Theaters will also often accept donations of broken electronics as props, and if the value of your device is arguably good enough, you might be able to get a tax write off for the donation. At the very least it will help you get your charitable giving closer to the annual minimum to see tax benefits from it.
Now if you're a technofile, you might just really want a new phone, even though the one you have now is working just fine. I'll resist the urge to wag me finger at you and frown, and instead suggest that you donate your working cell phone to charity. There are a number of organizations for battered women that actively solicit donations of cell phones. Here are a couple:
http://www.ncadv.org/takeaction/DonateaPhone.php
http://aboutus.verizonwireless.com/commitment/community_programs/hopeline/
Also, Volunteer Guide offers a very good outline on what to do to donate your phone and how your phone can help others as a donation: http://www.volunteerguide.org/minutes/service-projects/cell-phone-recycling?gclid=CMzI9om45rgCFbFDMgodXXEAFQ
I'd love to hear from others how you reduce your consumption and waste, or how you simplify your life.
No comments:
Post a Comment