As I write this, I’m still stewing from the recent frustration of sorting through a drawer filled with a tangle of charging cords and adapters, looking for something to connect my new laptop with an older monitor. I was unsuccessful. And while I’m tempted to take the whole mess to the recycling depot, I know that at least some of the electronic waste taken there will end up in landfill where it can leach toxic metals. Worldwide, 80% of e-waste is dumped rather than recycled, leading to pollution and the loss of the critical minerals contained within.

“Fast tech” is the larger problem of rapid, high-volume consumption of cheaply made hard-to-repair electronics which are designed for early obsolescence.

This is fueled by customer desire to have the “latest and greatest” products. Companies take full advantage of this mindset. In Quebec, since 2023, Bill 29 is an anti-obsolescence law that aims to combat the deliberate shortening of a product’s lifespan by requiring repairability, making repair parts available, and generally banning premature failure. Hard to enforce but encouraging in principle.

Mindful consumption, as noted by the David Suzuki Foundation, involves being conscious of the environmental and social consequences of consumer choices to reduce their ecological impact. It suggests we try to avoid impulse buying, select quality over quantity, and buy from local and sustainable sources.

The UBC Sustainability website includes a Mindful Consumption Guide . While this site may be intended for students, it encourages us to examine our consumption practices. It may also spark a conversation with our family and our patients about alternatives to overconsumption.