If you look around your home or office, you’ll probably find old phones, laptops or chargers lying in a drawer somewhere. They used to be valuable. Now they are forgotten.
We live in a time when upgrading feels normal. New models appear faster than we can learn to use the old ones. Replacing things has become easier than repairing them. This habit is what many call the throwaway culture.
It is a habit that costs us more than we realise.
The Real Cost of Throwing Things Away
In Singapore, we throw away more than sixty thousand tonnes of electronic waste every year. That number is hard to imagine until you realise it is the weight of more than two hundred MRT trains.
Behind every phone and laptop are metals, energy and resources that took years to mine and refine. Making one new laptop releases hundreds of kilograms of carbon dioxide. When we reuse or repair an old one, we avoid most of that impact.
Keeping one laptop working for an extra year may seem small. But if a million people do the same, it makes a real difference.
Why I Started myhalo
When I started myhalo, I wanted to build something that mattered. I saw how people threw away things not because they didn’t care, but because they didn’t know what else to do.
We wanted to make the right choice the easy choice.
If a device can be repaired, we fix it.
If it can still be used, we find it a new home.
If it cannot, we recycle it properly.
To me, sustainability is not about big words or complicated systems. It is about being thoughtful about what we already have.
How You Can Break the Habit
If you have old electronics at home or in the office, take a moment before throwing them away. Ask yourself if they could still be useful.
Here are a few simple steps:
- Repair if possible. Many problems are small — a battery, a screen or a charger.
- Reuse it. An older device can still be a backup or a tool for learning.
- Donate it. Someone else might need what you no longer use.
- Recycle it responsibly if it has truly reached the end.
What myhalo Can Do For You
At myhalo, we created Rescue Advise to help people make better decisions about their unused electronics. You can tell us what you have, and we will guide you on what to do next.
Sometimes it makes sense to repair. Sometimes we can help you repurpose or donate it. Whatever the answer, we make sure it does not go to waste.
Every time you save one device, you save materials, energy and hundreds of kilograms of carbon emissions.
A Simple Message
Singapore is working toward a more sustainable future, but it starts with small, personal choices. Each of us can play a part by rethinking what we throw away.
Before you toss out your next gadget, pause and ask yourself — could this still serve a purpose?
If the answer is maybe, come talk to us.
Visit Rescue Advise and let myhalo help you figure out the next step.
Because sustainability begins with care, and care begins with a small decision not to throw.