By Lottie Limb  •  Updated: 22/09/2021 – 17:15

Millions of new iPhone 13s will be wending their way to excited customers this week, with the new model’s release on Friday.

Its new and improved features include a smaller carbon footprint: the iPhone 13 represents 64kg CO2e in greenhouse gases compared to 72kg CO2e for the equivalent iPhone 12.

But trading in your old smartphone for the newest model is the worst thing you could do. According to Apple’s own metrics, 81 per cent of the phone’s lifecycle carbon emissions are released during production.

The energy required to mine the rare materials for iPhones is huge. According to one report, “buying a new phone takes as much energy as recharging and operating a smartphone for an entire decade.”

Resisting the urge to own the latest iPhone won’t reverse emissions for the products hitting the shelves on Friday, but it will help to limit how many phones are made in the future.

https://www.euronews.com/green/2021/09/22/iphone-13-release-date-how-much-energy-will-you-save-by-not-buying-the-new-phone