| What is e-waste? Quite simply e-waste is all of those | | | | different than regular household waste that will break |
| old electronics that we've got that have become | | | | down over a fairly short period of time. E-waste |
| outdated and we don't want them anymore. As you | | | | could almost be classified as hazardous waste in that |
| can imagine, if you stop to think about it for a | | | | its components don't break down as quickly and |
| minute, technology is progressing at a very rapid | | | | contains many chemicals that are dangerous to both |
| pace. This is having a horrible effect on our world. | | | | the environment and humans. |
| I was over at a friend's house the other night and he | | | | Some of those chemicals include lead, cadmium and |
| had an entire box (and a pretty big one at that) full | | | | beryllium. Dealing with the recycling of these products |
| of old memory sticks for computers. Just out of | | | | is a very delicate procedure and poses direct risks to |
| curiosity, we dug through them a little bit and they're | | | | the environment surrounding the facility as well as |
| all 128MB memory sticks. Well you would be hard | | | | the employees that are doing the work. There is a |
| pressed to even find a computer that you could use | | | | huge environmental and human tolls being exacted on |
| them in. While he might be able to sell a few of them | | | | developing countries like China and India by |
| on ebay or something, most of them will become | | | | companies who seek to have e-waste recycled and |
| e-waste. | | | | mined for precious metals. |
| There are many reasons that e-waste is becoming | | | | What can we do about it you ask? Well first off, |
| such a big problem. Think about the life span of cell | | | | don't just throw your old cell phones or computers |
| phone for example. Most people won't keep their cell | | | | away. CRT monitors (the big bulky ones) are |
| phone for longer than a year or two and then they'll | | | | particular hazardous and is actually classified as |
| get a new one. This is due largely in part to their low | | | | hazardous household waste by the US government. |
| initial cost, but also planned obsolescence. Planned | | | | So what can you do with them? Find a place that |
| obsolescence is a practice that is employed by large | | | | shows responsibility in they way they handle and |
| corporations where they develop their products with | | | | recycle or reuse. |
| the intention of having them used for a limited | | | | I know it can be tempting to go buy that latest and |
| amount of time before they break or can't be used | | | | greatest electronic device, but think a little bit about |
| effectively anymore and they have to be replaced. | | | | what all these electronics are doing to the |
| Now I know you might think that its no big deal for | | | | environment and whether its something that you |
| us to have all this waste, however e-waste is a little | | | | really need or not. |