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Gizmodo

Welcome to the 'Technosphere': The Hidden Carbon Vault Inside Your Gadgets

Gizmodo
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83% Informative

A new study estimates that billions of tons of carbon from fossil fuels were stored in gadgets, building materials, and other long-lasting human-made items over a 25-year period.

The study looked at the 8.4 billion tons of fossil carbon in objects that were in use for at least a year between 1995 and 2019 .

In 2011 , 9 percent of all extracted fossil carbon was sunk into items and infrastructure in the technosphere.

The bulk of fossil carbon that’s put into landfills decays slowly and stays put over 50 years .

Designing products in a way that allows them to be recycled and last a long time can help keep the carbon trapped for longer.

Ultimately, Hubacek said, the real solution starts with people questioning if they really need so much stuff.