If I decide to up/re-cycle my fully functioning mobile phone -granted it will not be done in China, I fulfill my end-user ecological responsibility. A large percentage of my phone mass will be reused to build new products, and only very little will end-up in a landfill. This is very well, but I am still wasting a perfectly functioning product.

By donating my mobile phone, I am supporting a social initiative, which aims to keep our more and more isolated seniors connected. Mobiles phones not only have the ability to shift time and place (feeling closer), they enable a wide range of pertinent and necessary services (health, education, play, etc.). All things considered, it’s very appealing second life for my phone. Except that I give up its recycling destiny to someone that might not care. In this case, it just delays its journey to the landfill. Something I don’t want.

Since 1+1=2, how about a system that donates/repurposes my phone to one (or many) community in need (communication, education, etc.) AND then up/re-cycles it. When my phone has been processed at final up/re-cycling facility, I (the original owner) receive a message certifying that my phone has been up-cycled according to my wishes – Karma points attached to the message.

In principle, social and ecological endeavours are not divergent nor conflicting, yet in practice they are going after at the same products and audience. Consequently any synergised system will have greater resonance with people and success.