Supply Chains
Sustainable Supply Chains: Consumer Electronics
Cobalt, lithium, e-waste — the hidden geography behind every phone in your pocket.
Overview
Every smartphone holds dozens of metals from across the world — cobalt and tantalum from the Democratic Republic of Congo, lithium from South America, rare earths from China. The way they're mined, assembled and disposed of shapes lives, ecosystems and the climate.
In this live session, learners follow the journey of a single phone — from mine to factory to landfill — meeting the workers, researchers and activists working to make consumer electronics safer and more circular.
Students leave with a sharper sense of what they're really holding when they pick up a device, and what a fair, circular electronics future could look like.
What you'll take away
- Trace a smartphone from mine to factory to landfill
- Understand the human cost of the electronics supply chain
- See circular economy solutions for e-waste
- Plan a school device repair, reuse and recycling programme
How it works
This session is part of Globe From Home's Planetary Citizenship Program. This can be booked as a stand-alone masterclass or as part of the full programme. Once a date is confirmed, we send a private access link. Learners can join collectively from classrooms or individually on any mobile device.