Connection lost

Connection lost

By Alex Robinson, 24th July 2024

Last weekend I did a ‘digital detox’: three days without using my phone or the internet except for necessities (confession: I did watch ‘The Big Lebowski’, but nobody is perfect, right?).

Spending just a few days without my phone constantly in hand was a reminder of how much we depend on them, from route-finding to payments, as well as connecting to family and friends.

It’s not lost on me that the urge to disconnect, and the ability to find time and space to do it, is a privilege. But for two million homes in the UK, lack of access to the internet is an everyday reality; eight million people struggle to afford a digital connection. Lack of digital access also amplifies other exclusions – no internet can mean no access to a bank account, for example. It’s why Andy Burnham, Mayor of Manchester, has been leading calls for internet access to be recognised as a human right.

On the other hand, we’re living among an almost incomprehensible glut of connected electronics. In the UK, we have 880 million gadgets gathering dust in our homes (I’ll do the maths for you: that’s 13 each!).

For Gen Z, a generation known for its environmental consciousness, our research shows they still have an average of two old phones lurking somewhere at home too – phones that could make a real difference.

Today we’re highlighting the impact of a pair of projects that tackle the ever-growing environmental problem of electronic waste and are addressing digital inclusion and economic inequities at the same time.

They're both great examples of how environmental action can include and benefit everyone, and how businesses and charities can join forces to tackle shared problems.

Dialling up connectedness

Community Calling is four years old – and celebrating 20,000 donated phones. The project is a Hubbub partnership with Virgin Media O2 that aims to reduce electronic waste and enhance digital inclusion.

We do it by providing those most digitally deprived with access to mobile technology, connectivity, and digital support.

Along with Genuine Solutions, who handle the technical side, and a group of charity partners, we’ve been rehoming used smartphones with those who’ll benefit most, and making sure they can access digital skills training too.

The charity Migrant Help have already received and donated 5,000 smartphones to asylum seekers and refugees. Homelessness charities Crisis and Change Please are receiving 2,000 devices this year.

Donate a phone

Do you have an old (but working) phone that could make a difference to someone's life? Want to learn more about the project? Visit Hubbub's Community Calling page and sign up to donate your smartphone.

Support the programme

Are you a business interested in supporting Community Calling? Email us for help engaging your employees, or to find out how you can offer support.

Watts up with e-waste

Electronic waste is the fastest growing waste stream in the world, so it makes sense that there’s much more to this issue than phones – and even more potential for impact. Our work shows that everyday electricals can change lives too.

Rehome Your Electricals is a Hubbub trial project funded by the Electrical Recycling Fund from Material Focus. We wanted to see if our Community Fridge Network could create opportunities for people to share small electricals, as well as surplus food, with their local communities.

We tested the concept with drop-off points at two community fridges: one in Wolverton, Milton Keynes, and the other in Southwark, London.

Volunteers PAT-tested donated items to make sure they were safe. Items were rehomed through the community fridges and a network of local charity partners.

Our three-month trial with Wolverton Community Fridge has recently finished, and our trial at Albrighton Community Fridge has one month left.

Early signs are really positive: Wolverton collected and rehomed over a tonne of donated electricals! That’s over 500 items rehomed in the community, from TVs to air-fryers and everything in between.

If you want to talk about tackling electronic waste and creating social impact, or you have an environmental challenge that needs a creative solution, we’d love to hear from you.