If you consider AirPods to be environmentally safe to recycle, which is not unreasonable given that Apple will take them back and promises to recycle the parts, the only downside to a disposable device like this is cost. Two years of using AirPods means you pay about $0,25 a day of use.

Most users use them every day and are very happy with them. I think it is pretty reasonable to pay that kind of money for being happy.