Electronic waste is a big problem, and it’s not going to go away until we, as consumers, demand that manufacturers take responsibility for what happens to the products they create once they’re no longer usable. Right now, when an electronic gadget like a printer breaks, our only option (if it can’t be repaired) is to give it to a recycling center, hoping for the best, and purchasing a new one. But surprising and innovative new products could change all that.
The developers of the Samsung Eco-Conscious Origami Cardboard Mono Laser Printer set out to look at printers in a new way. Knowing that printers have a significant impact on the environment by consuming a lot of paper, they realized that a cardboard construction could make use of that recycled paper, sort of ‘closing the loop’ in a way. Samsung says the printer is 100% recyclable, though it’s not clear whether the internal components are ‘recycled’ in the same way as most e-waste, which generally means dumping it in a third-world country.
It comes in a flat piece of cardboard that is folded around the electronic guts according to instructions printed right on the box. When the cover wears out, you can simply get a new one. Gone are all of the wasteful plastic parts typically used in a printer housing. This concept would also reduce the cost of the overlaid evice. Would you be up for assembling your new printer if it helped reduce plastic consumption and waste?

