While people may be used to the notions of fishing for food and drilling for oil and gas, another marine resource has increasingly caught the attention of governments and companies: metals and rare-earth minerals.

A pile of discarded smartphones, laptops, and tangled cords might look like trash. In reality, electronic waste (e-waste) is the world’s fastest-growing waste stream.

On its surface, Loch Carron is a beautiful, tranquil highland sea loch on the northwest coast of Scotland. The highlands there are home to a diverse range of wildlife, including pine martens, red deer, and oystercatchers. Hidden deep below the loch’s surface is an equally beautiful haven for starfish, flame shells, and beds of maerl, a species of coral-like red algae.

In the last 25 years, countries have seen a drastic increase in concern about climate change, which has spurred policies and technological developments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Positive, yes, but still a far cry from what is needed to avoid the destruction of coral reefs and more than a foot of sea level rise.

Across international and US campuses, a new sustainability trend is taking root: “swap shops” and free stores, designed to reduce dorm-room waste while easing students’ financial burdens.