Our iPhones Are Depleting the Earth's Resources [INFOGRAPHIC]

 By 
Zoe Fox
 on 
Our iPhones Are Depleting the Earth's Resources [INFOGRAPHIC]

Apple sold a record 5 million iPhones the first weekend the phone was on the market. And unlike in the iPhone's early days, the latest Apple smartphones are not primarily being purchased by first time owners.

But did you ever stop to think about what happens to all those iPhone 3, 3GS, 4 and 4Ss now deemed out of date? While there are many recycling programs available, most smartphones are not efficiently thrown out.

Apple's iPhones is far from the only culprit -- most every smartphone, hard drive, hybrid car, satellite, MRI machine and GPS, along with dozens of other tech gadgets, are made from Rare Earth Elements.

This infographic, created by Vouchercloud takes a look at this troubling technology trend, which is depleting the planet's supply of Rare Earth Elements.

Do you recycle your old tech gadgets? Share your recycling tips in the comments.

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