As digital devices are designed to be more compact, portable, and more convenient, the carbon footprint of wearable technology becomes a more pressing issue.
In fact, it is estimated that nearly one-third of adults in the United States use a wearable device.10
Though these devices are increasingly smaller in size, it should never be assumed that their environmental impact decreases proportionally.
This article explores the ins and outs of wearable technology, illuminating what is known and highlighting the information that is needed to advance this field in a sustainable way.
Understanding the Carbon Footprint of Wearable Technology
‘Carbon footprint’ is the term that represents, in number form, the environmental impact of a specified source. It is expressed in terms of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) emissions.19
CO2e emissions are greenhouse gases (GHGs),20 or gases with global warming potential (see EPA’s “Basics of Climate Change” for additional information).21
Learning how to calculate carbon footprint manually can be a bit of a learning curve, and various online calculators are available to assist with carbon footprint calculation. Before jumping into calculations, however, it is important to understand where and how carbon emissions are generated.
Like any product, the carbon footprint of wearable technology is the aggregate of all emissions produced throughout the life cycle of the product.
Note that the life cycle begins before the product is manufactured and continues long after manufacture. It includes all direct and indirect CO2e emissions associated with the manufacture, distribution, use, and disposal of said product.
For wearable technology, the manufacture of microchips (microprocessors) and batteries contributes heavily to the overall carbon impact (see MIT’s Climate Portal “How Much CO2 is Emitted by Manufacturing Batteries?”).22
The Greenhouse Gas Protocol Corporate Standard defines three scopes of emissions for companies:23 Scope 1 (direct emissions), Scope 2 (indirect – electricity), and Scope 3 (indirect – value chain) (see the EPA’s “Scope 1 and Scope 2 Inventory Guidance” and “Scope 3 Inventory Guidance”).13, 24, 25
Scope 1 Emissions From Wearable Technology
Scope 1 emissions from wearable technology include all CO2e produced by fuel combustion at the company manufacturing facility or by company vehicles transporting goods and products.
Companies must parse out the percentage of their operations attributable to each of their products to determine the emissions generated by a specific product.
Scope 2 Emissions From Wearable Technology
The majority of energy used in manufacturing is not produced on-site, but rather, generated by an outside source. Companies are indirectly responsible for purchasing electricity, and a life cycle analysis must specify the amount of electricity and subsequent emissions attributable to a product.
Scope 3 Emissions From Wearable Technology
Scope 3 “value chain” emissions are the hardest to quantify and include everything not included in the first two scopes, from employee commuting and business travel, to material mining and processing, to distribution of sold products, to consumer use and disposal. Some examples of scope 3 emissions include:
- Mining of metals and elements used in the production of microprocessors, chips, and batteries
- Manufacture and transport of plastics used in device construction
- Transport of materials to manufacturing facilities
- Distribution of sold products to retailers
- Energy used by consumers to charge wearable technology
- Electronic waste when devices are landfilled
Sometimes companies are forced to estimate scope 3 categories where data is limited.
Note that wearable technology that incorporates artificial intelligence (AI) will have a larger carbon footprint than devices that are used only for data collection and processing because of the vast amounts of energy required to develop, train, and operate AI programs.26 The carbon footprint of AI continues to grow rapidly alongside the applications and breadth of artificial intelligence.
What Is Wearable Technology?
Before delving into the topic of the environmental impact of wearable devices, first consider the question “What is wearable technology?” Wearable technology, sometimes called “wearables,” refers to any electronic device that is made to be worn on the body.18
Wearable technology has been around for more than half a century, and the way in which it is used has changed drastically over the decades. Wearables can serve many purposes, and the most common and popular devices are used for entertainment, fitness, health monitoring, and sports tracking purposes.18
The following table presents the primary types of wearable tech along with prominent examples in each category. Note that there is significant overlap between categories as devices are becoming more versatile.18
| Wearable Technology Examples by Category | ||||
| Entertainment | Fitness | Health | Sports Tracking | Virtual Assistant |
-Meta Quest
-Apple Air Pods
-Ucam |
-Apple Watch
-Oura Ring Gen3 |
-Genesis AI
-H2-BP
-Abbot FreeStyle LIbre
-Apple Watch
-Oura Ring |
-Catapult Vector vests
-Ucam
-Hexoskin Smart Shirt |
-Humane’s AI Pin
-Carrera Smart Glasses with Alexa |
Components of Wearable Technology
The wearable technology on the market today is much more compact and discreet than the earlier models.
In many cases, it is not readily apparent when someone is using wearable technology. However, just because the size of devices is decreasing, it does not necessarily follow that the number or complexity of the components are also.
Most wearable technology shares certain core internal components, such as batteries, microprocessors, sensors, and embedded universal integrated circuit cards (eUICC) in devices with internet connectivity.3
The external hardware will obviously vary widely depending on the device. Some devices may require an arm, wrist, or chest band, while others may come in the form of clothing, jewelry, accessories, or full headsets.
The Carbon Footprint of Wearable Health Monitoring Devices
Wearable medical devices are arguably the most significant application of wearable technology, as they have been instrumental in inpatient healthcare settings and residential settings alike.
Health monitoring devices can improve the safety of users by providing continuous monitoring of heart rate, blood pressure, glucose, and more. However, these same devices are composed of various types of plastics, metals, and rare earth elements.
Continue reading to learn about the environmental impact of some of these products.
Abbot FreeStyle Libre
Abbot is a company that develops and markets medical devices and health and wellness products. The Abbot FreeStyle Libre is a continuous blood glucose monitor that adheres to the back of the upper arm and does not require the user to stick their finger.
Abbot has not yet conducted/published a life cycle assessment for this product. Abbot has conducted a global sustainability report on the impact of the company as a whole, however.
They found that scope 3 accounted for 92% of the company’s emissions, and of the scope 3 categories, 5% was attributable to consumer use, compared to a whopping 69% to purchased goods and services, 14% to transportation/distribution, and another 5% to capital goods.6
Apple Watch Series 9
Apple has set a carbon-neutral goal for 2030, and the company has been making strides to reach this goal. For example, the Apple Watch Series 9 uses 100% recycled cobalt in its battery and 99% rare earth elements.
Apple has also been transitioning their processes to clean electricity, resulting in a 34% reduction in emissions. The resulting emissions of the Series 9 Apple watch is 29 kg of CO2e.4
Fitbit Charge 6
The Fitbit Charge 6, a wristband that functions as a fitness tracker has been evaluated by Google using life cycle assessment (LCA) analysis.
The company found that the product generates approximately 9 kg of CO2e over a 3-year lifetime, assuming product recycling. The production phase accounts for 75% of this carbon footprint.7
Genesis AI Hearing Aids
Starkey’s Genesis AI hearing aids are revolutionary in their design and versatility. Unfortunately, the company has yet to publish a product life cycle analysis.14
Google Pixel Watch 2
Google is another big-name company that has been setting environmental goals and analyzing their carbon impact through their products and other operations.
The Pixel Watch 2 is PVC and BFR-free and utilizes recycled aluminum in its design. Packaging is 99% plastic-free.
Google’s life cycle analysis of the Pixel Watch 2 found that 83% of its carbon footprint (3 years) is attributable to the production phase. Over a 3-year lifespan, the watch is projected to generate 21 kg of CO2e.8
Omron HEM-6410T (Blood Pressure Monitor)
The Omron HEM is a line of automatic blood pressure monitors that are worn around the upper arm or wrist. Though the OMRON corporation does report on its sustainability, reporting scopes 1, 2, and 3 emissions for all of its operations, it has not yet published life cycle assessments for various products.
The company does report that the use of sold products did account for nearly 70% of measured emissions in 2023.12
Oura Ring
There is no published environmental impact data on the Oura Ring as a product or the company as a whole.
Ultrahuman Ring Air
The company, Ultrahuman, develops and manufactures health monitoring devices, and the Ultrahuman Ring Air is one of their most impressive designs. The ring monitors heart rate, sleep, skin temperature, and steps and distance.
The company has not yet published a life cycle assessment of this product, but Ultrahuman has committed to environmental sustainability. They have developed a trade-in program for their rings to promote circularity.
Their packaging is 98% biodegradable, and they plant a tree with every purchase.15
The Carbon Footprint of Other Wearable Devices
There are many applications for wearable devices outside the health sector, such as entertainment, sports, and the workplace. This section looks at the carbon footprints of several popular wearables.
Apple Air Pods
Apple’s Air Pods are one of the few products that the company has not yet published environmental assessments on. The Air Pods 4, released September 20, 2024, is described as free of mercury, PVC, and BFR.
They are made from 100% recycled:
- Gold plating in circuit boards
- Tin in solder of circuit boards
- Copper plating salts in circuit boards
- Rare earth elements in magnets
As well as 50% recycled plastic and 100% fiber-based packaging.2
Carrera Smart Glasses With Alexa
The Carrera Smart Glasses with Alexa, by Amazon, allow users to access the internet using voice controls, completely hands-free. Amazon has conducted a life cycle analysis on this product and reports that its lifetime carbon footprint is 18 kg of CO2e.
According to the report, 68% of emissions are produced during manufacturing and upstream, and another 27% is attributable to the transportation of products.5
Catapult Vector
The company, Catapult, is not yet reporting on its carbon footprint or on the carbon footprint of its wearable sensors.
GoPro HERO
In 2022, GoPro reported their scope 1 and 2 emissions as totaling 555 metric tons (Mt) of CO2e.17 The company has not yet published their scope 3 emissions nor life cycle analyses for their action cameras.
GoPro does report that plastic in their packaging has been reduced to less than 2% plastic content. The company also plans to use 100% renewable energy (in U.S. locations) by the year 2026.9
Oculus Quest or Meta Quest VR Headset
Meta has not yet published life cycle assessments for their products, but they state this as a goal of theirs in their 2023 sustainability report. The company reports that their Meta Quest Virtual Reality Headset is designed with sustainability and circularity in mind and that the company has been transitioning transportation to ocean freight and sustainable packaging.
According to Meta, refurbishing a used VR headset generates less than 5% of the emissions generated by the production/shipping/packaging of a new headset.11
The Pros and Cons of Wearable Electronics
Modern wearable electronics usually allow and even rely on internet connectivity, thus becoming part of the Internet of Things (IoT).27 This poses a unique set of advantages and disadvantages.
Advantages of Wearable Technology
There are many advantages to wearable technology, and these keep expanding as technology advances.
Some of the most notable features include:3
- Improved Safety: GPS tracking, emergency messaging, and environment monitoring improve the safety of users.
- Health Monitoring: Fall detection, heart rate monitoring, and glucose monitoring improve the ease of healthcare and maintenance.
- Increased Productivity: Constant, instant access to info and data decreases response time in healthcare and business.
- Fitness Monitoring: Step trackers, sleep trackers, and sports fitness monitors enhance wellness through detailed feedback to users.
- Carbon Footprint Tracking: Wearable devices constantly collect data about people’s activities, spending habits, consumption, and so forth, making these devices an excellent source of information about environmental impact.
Disadvantages of Wearable Technology
There is, of course, a flip side to every coin, and wearable technology does have its disadvantages.1
Here are some of them:
- Cost: The price tag of many wearables makes them inaccessible to a large portion of the population.
- Battery: Wearables rely on battery power and usually require daily charging.
- Security: There are significant concerns over data security, as data may be shared with third parties or subject to cyber hacking.
- Distraction: Wearable technology offers near-constant connectivity and feedback which many individuals may find distracting, anxiety-provoking, and even counter-productive.
- Environmental Impact: As with any electronic device, electronic waste is a serious concern. As wearable technology is often much smaller, these devices are less likely to be recycled.
Frequent upgrades also lead to increased carbon impact.
Is the Carbon Footprint of Wearable Technology Something to be Concerned About?
Oftentimes, disagreements arise as people begin to argue that one type of product is not nearly as bad for the environment as another type and therefore should not be a point of focus.
While it may be true that wearable technology may not be as harmful to the environment as, say, air travel or diesel-powered machines, this does not mean that its environmental impact should be ignored.
Understanding the carbon footprint of wearable technology is critical to alleviate the energy burden of an increasingly technological world.
Tips For Reducing the Carbon Footprint of Wearable Technology
There is no denying that wearables are quickly becoming an indispensable part of living in modern society. Already, individuals who do not own or use certain types of wearable devices may find themselves less healthy, less efficient in the workplace, and less competitive in sports.
Thus, as society becomes increasingly reliant on this growing sector of technology, combating the carbon footprint of wearable technology becomes more imperative than ever.
Of course, there are many things that developers and manufacturers can do to decrease the carbon footprint, from conducting life cycle analyses of each product to ensuring materials are ethically and sustainably sourced, to designing for maximum energy efficiency and lifespan, to investing in a circular economy and ensuring that wearable electronics are properly recycled.
Consumers, too, have a job to do. The role of technology users in reducing carbon footprint is manifold.
Recommended tips are outlined below:16
- Purchase responsibly: Buy from companies that are transparent about their carbon impact and proactive in their environmental goals. Purchase only such devices that are needed/required or will be consistently used.
- Maintain your devices: Take care of devices, ensuring they are cleaned and serviced as needed.
- Update software regularly: Staying up to date makes devices more efficient and improves their longevity.
- Be energy efficient: Unplug chargers and turn off devices when not in use to extend the battery’s short and long-term lifespan.
- Dispose of wearable technology responsibly: Rehome any device that is still functional. For non-functioning devices, ensure that they are recycled through the proper avenues.
- Plant trees: Planting trees helps to offset carbon emissions that cannot be reduced or eliminated.
This article has outlined the benefits and drawbacks of wearable technology and attempted to evaluate the environmental impact of these devices.
Though relatively few of the wearables discussed in this article have undergone life cycle assessments for carbon emissions, those that have been analyzed seem to have a lifetime carbon footprint of about 10 to 30 kg of CO2e.
It is important to note, however, that those companies performing life cycle analyses on their products may very well be the ones that are already doing the most to reduce their carbon footprint of wearable technology.
Thus, these numbers may not be representative of the overall carbon footprint of wearable technology, and hopefully, more information will be made available in the near future.
Frequently Asked Questions About Carbon Footprint of Wearable Technology
What Is a Carbon Footprint?
There are various wordings used to answer the question “What is a carbon footprint?”, but they all amount to the same basic concept. Carbon footprint is the term used to express the total amount of carbon-equivalent emissions generated by a specific source, and it is used to understand how human activity contributes to global warming.
Carbon emissions calculators can be used to estimate the carbon footprint of activities, products, individuals, households, businesses, and etc.
What Are the Drawbacks of Wearable Technology?
Despite its many benefits and uses, there are also several drawbacks to wearable technology. The most notable and concerning limitation is that of security, as the data collected from wearables is more vulnerable to privacy threats from hackers.
Some sources suggest that another drawback to wearable technology is that it may encourage users to obsess over health data and develop health-related anxiety.3
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References
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