GoKawiilWhat these researchers are doing in San Diego is clearly an admirable achievement. It's also an important one. Discarded phones have a significant impact on global e-waste, and projects like the one undertaken in California can help to reduce their harmful carbon footprint. It may not be a matter that regularly crosses your mind, but if you regularly replace your smartphone, then fail to responsibly dispose of your old one, you're doing damage to the environment.
According to Google Research, the average smartphone user replaces their device every four years. This rapid upgrade cycle leads to millions of phones being thrown away each year. Discarded phones generate environmental waste when their valuable materials (such as copper and silver) aren't reused, forcing supplies to wastefully mine new ones.
Phones can also produce hazardous waste. The lithium-ion battery in your average Google Pixel can be harmful to the environment if it's not disposed of properly. If you want to give the planet a helping hand, hang onto your current phone for another couple of years if it's still going strong. And when it is time to replace it, try to either recycle your phone or see if you can sell/gift it back to the manufacturer.