The Problem with all this Stuff
Whenever we buy something new, there is always an impact on nature. For example, cell phone companies try to convince us that we need to get new cell phones every year but they don’t tell us about their impacts on nature. One problem with cell phones is that they are made using a rare metallic ore called “coltan” that gets mined from the Congo rainforest in Africa. Sadly, this mineral is mostly found in the area where the endangered lowland gorilla lives, and their home or natural habitat is being destroyed so we can have new cell phones.
One thing we can do to help protect the gorilla is to reduce the number of cell phones we buy. Rather than getting a new cell phone every year, use the one you already have for as many years as possible. When we reduce our demand for cell phones, less will be made, which means less coltan needs to be mined. This can help protect the gorilla. Also, instead of throwing away your old cell phone, give it to someone else so they can reuse it, or else recycle it so that the coltan and other metals can be used again.
