Many people are looking for ways to reduce their environmental impact, and businesses often promote car sharing and second-hand phone sales as eco-friendly solutions.
However, new research by Levon Amatuni, a Ph.D. candidate at Leiden University, reveals that these practices may not be as beneficial for the environment as previously thought.
Amatuni’s study highlights the importance of focusing on actual changes in consumption habits rather than relying on “green” labels or perceptions.
Amatuni, who has a background in computer science and mathematics, used his knowledge to model the environmental impact of car sharing and second-hand phone use.
His research shows that car sharing, for example, only reduces a person’s environmental impact by 3% to 18% on average, much lower than previous estimates of 37% to 51%.
One reason for this smaller effect is the “rebound effect.”
In the case of car sharing, new shared vehicles are replaced more often than privately owned cars.
Additionally, people who use car-sharing services may drive more than they would if they didn’t have access to a shared car. For example, they might choose to drive instead of taking a bus or riding a bike, which can increase their overall environmental footprint.
Amatuni found similar patterns when studying second-hand phones in the United States.
While selling and buying used phones can extend the life of the device by giving it a new owner, it also encourages people to replace their phones more often.
Instead of holding onto their phones for longer, people are more likely to sell them once they know they can easily find a buyer. This means that buying a second-hand phone only offsets about one-third of the production impact of a new phone.
Despite these findings, Amatuni emphasizes that our intentions to live more sustainably still matter.
He encourages people to be mindful of their overall consumption and to reduce it whenever possible. Simply trying to make current habits more efficient without cutting back on consumption won’t be enough to make a significant impact.
Using the textile industry as an example, Amatuni points out that in Canada, the average person creates textile waste equal to the weight of 44 t-shirts every year. No sustainable business model, such as organic cotton, can offset this waste unless people buy fewer clothes and use them for longer.
In the end, Amatuni’s research encourages us to focus on lasting changes in our behavior to truly reduce our environmental impact.
