If we broke open all their newest phones,

如果我們掰開他們所有最新的手機。

which are just a fraction of the total that've been built,

這只是已經建成的總數的一小部分。

and split them into their component parts,

並將其分割成各個組成部分。

that would produce around 85,000 kilograms of gold,

這將生產約8.5萬公斤黃金。

875,000 of silver,

875,000銀子。

and 40 million kilograms of copper.

和4000萬公斤銅。

How did this precious cache get into our phones,

這個珍貴的緩存怎麼會進入我們的手機。

and can we reclaim it?

我們能收回它嗎？

Gold, silver, and copper are actually just a few

黃金、白銀、銅其實只是一些。

of the 70 or so chemical elements that make up the average smartphone.

組成普通智能手機的70多種化學元素中，。

These can be divided into different groups,

這些可以分為不同的組別。

two of the most critical being rare earth elements

其中最關鍵的兩種是稀土元素

and precious metals.

和貴金屬。

Rare earths are a selection of 17 elements that are actually common in Earth's crust

稀土是指在地殼中實際常見的17種元素的選擇。

and are found in many areas across the world in low concentrations.

並在世界許多地區發現，濃度較低。

These elements have a huge range of magnetic,

這些元素的磁性範圍很大。

phosphorescent,

磷光。

and conductive properties

和導電性能

that make them crucial to modern technologies.

使其成為現代技術的關鍵。

In fact, of the 17 types of rare earth metals,

事實上，在17種稀土金屬中。

phones and other electronics may contain up to 16.

手機和其他電子產品可能含有多達16。

In smartphones, these create the screen and color display,

在智能手機中，這些創造了螢幕和色彩顯示。

aid conductivity,

有助於導電性。

and produce the signature vibrations,

併產生標誌性的振動。

amongst other things.

其中，。

And yet, crucial as they are,

然而，儘管它們很關鍵。

extracting these elements from the earth

從地球上提取這些元素

is linked to some disturbing environmental impacts.

與一些令人不安的環境影響有關。

Rare earth elements can often be found,

經常可以發現稀土元素。

but in many areas,

但在很多領域。

it's not economically feasible to extract them due to low concentrations.

由於濃度低，提取它們在經濟上不可行。

Much of the time,

大部分的時間。

extracting them requires a method called open pit mining

開採它們需要一種叫做露天開採的方法。

that exposes vast areas of land.

暴露出大片土地的。

This form of mining destroys huge swaths of natural habitats,

這種形式的採礦活動破壞了大片的自然棲息地。

and causes air and water pollution,

並造成空氣和水汙染。

threatening the health of nearby communities.

威脅到附近社區的健康。

Another group of ingredients in smartphones

智能手機的另一組成分

comes with similar environmental risks:

伴隨著類似的環境風險。

these are metals such as copper,

這些是銅等金屬。

silver,

銀。

palladium,

鈀金：

aluminum,

鋁製的。

platinum,

鉑金。

tungsten,

鎢。

tin,

錫。

lead,

導致。

and gold.

和黃金。

We also mine magnesium,

我們還開採鎂。

lithium,

鋰。

silica,

硅石。

and potassium to make phones,

和鉀來做手機。

and all of it is associated with vast habitat destruction,

而這一切都與巨大的生境破壞有關。

as well as air and water pollution.

以及空氣和水汙染。

Mining comes with worrying social problems, too,

採礦業也伴隨著令人擔憂的社會問題。

like large-scale human and animal displacement

大規模的人類和動物流離失所等問題

to make way for industrial operations,

為工業經營讓路。

and frequently, poor working conditions for laborers.

並且經常出現勞動者工作條件差的情況。

Lastly, phone production also requires petroleum,

最後，手機生產也需要石油。

one of the main drivers of climate change.

氣候變化的主要驅動因素之一。

That entwines our smartphones inextricably with this growing planetary conundrum.

這就將我們的智能手機與這個日益嚴重的地球難題緊密地糾纏在一起。

And, what's more,

而且，更重要的是。

the ingredients we mine to make our phones aren't infinite.

我們挖礦做手機的原料並不是無限的。

One day, they'll simply run out,

總有一天，他們會用完的。

and we haven't yet discovered effective replacements for some.

而我們還沒有發現一些有效的替代品。

Despite this,

儘管如此。

the number of smartphones is on a steady increase;

智能手機的數量在穩步增長。

by 2019 it's predicted that there'll be close to 3 billion in use.

到2019年，預計將有近30億的使用。

This means that reclaiming the bounty within our phones

這意味著，回收我們手機內的賞金。

is swiftly becoming a necessity.

正在迅速成為一種必需品。

So, if you have an old phone,

所以，如果你有一部舊手機。

you might want to consider your options before throwing it away.

在扔掉它之前，你可能要考慮你的選擇。

To minimize waste, you could donate it to a charity for reuse,

為了減少浪費，你可以把它捐給慈善機構再利用。

take it to an e-waste recycling facility,

把它送到電子廢物回收設施。

or look for a company that refurbishes old models.

或者找一家翻新舊機型的公司。

However, even recycling companies need our scrutiny.

然而，即使是回收公司也需要我們的監督。

Just as the production of smartphones

就像智能手機的生產一樣

comes with social and environmental problems,

伴隨著社會和環境問題。

dismantling them does too.

拆除它們也是如此。

E-waste is sometimes intentionally exported to countries

電子廢物有時會被故意出口到各國。

where labor is cheap but working conditions are poor.

勞動力便宜但工作條件差的地方；

Vast workforces, often made up of women and children,

龐大的勞動力，通常由婦女和兒童組成；

may be underpaid,

可能會被少付。

lack the training to safely disassemble phones,

缺乏安全拆卸手機的培訓。

and be exposed to elements like lead and mercury,

並接觸到鉛和汞等元素。

which can permanently damage their nervous systems.

這可能會永久性地損害他們的神經系統。

Phone waste can also end up in huge dump sites,

手機垃圾最終也會被扔進巨大的垃圾場。

leaching toxic chemicals into the soil and water,

將有毒化學品滲入土壤和水中；

mirroring the problems of the mines where the elements originated.

反映了元素來源地的礦山問題。

A phone is much more than it appears to be on the surface.

一部手機遠比表面上看起來的要多。

It's an assemblage of elements from multiple countries,

這是一個多國元素的集合體。

linked to impacts that are unfolding on a global scale.

與全球範圍內正在發生的影響有關。

So, until someone invents a completely sustainable smartphone,

所以，在有人發明出一款完全可持續發展的智能手機之前。

we'll need to come to terms

我們需要接受

with how this technology affects widespread places and people.

與這種技術如何影響廣泛的地方和人。