Palm | Kelapa Sawit

The Dell computer company has started packing their notebook computers with bamboo. Sounds a bit strange at first, I must admit. Are they shipping these computers to panda bears who will then have internet and a snack? The answer is obviously no. Have you seen a bears paw? I doubt it could fit on the keyboard...

Apple has recently launched a marketing campaign for its newest laptop: The “Green” MacBook. (Please view this commercial from Apple - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GA_siP2H_co).

Apple’s website touts it environmental responsibility on it’s website, stating: “Apple recognizes its responsibility as a global citizen and is continually striving to reduce the environmental impact of the work we do and the products we create,” (http://www.apple.com/environment/). Despite their claims, Apple has been under the scrutiny of the Center for Environmental Health for having hazardous materials in their iPhone. One such material, phthalates, is toxin that has been shown to damage the liver, kidneys, lungs and reproductive systems in animal studies, and can be absorbed through the skin or inhaled.


According to Alternet.org, Apple does only what is legally required but does not go above and beyond like they claim to. “In December of 2006, Greenpeace released a report ranking the overall environmental policy of major technology companies. Dell was at the top but Apple found itself at the bottom. While top companies like Dell and Nokia have made great strides to eliminate the most toxic chemicals from their products and offer strong recycling programs, Apple has not,” http://www.alternet.org/environment/47228.


Not all hope is lost; apparently Steve Jobs has been paying attention to the critique. Apple has recently announced it will eliminate Arsenic from its displays by the end of 2008 as well as stop using polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and brominated flame retardants (BFRs). Additionally, Apple plans to reduce and eventually eliminate the use of mercury by transitioning to LED backlighting for all displays.

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http://sites.google.com/site/ecomerge2008/

Before the current economic crisis we had a term that we threw around, “truth in lending.” This term is all well and good, but it makes one wonder if there is truth in other endeavors; in this case I would question the term “truth in recycling.”

When we place our recyclable goods on the curb we have a reasonable expectation that those goods are going end up at a plant that can reuse what we would have otherwise thrown away, our old can of peaches can turn into a new can for peaches and the environmental impact falls solely on the energy needed to make old into new; we also assume that our recycling plants utilize environmentally friendly power sources but that is another story entirely.

Ponder what happens when you actually drive to a plant and spend an additional sum of money to properly dispose of your used consumer electronic products. Of course one would assume that these hazardous products (the chemicals inside computers and cell phone batteries for example are very toxic) would be properly recycled, or at least made less-toxic.

Consider the above images from third world countries that do not possess the means to purchase these products for themselves (therefore they had to come from an outside source). Look at what persons are doing to try and ply a small semblance of sellable goods out of our previously ‘recycled’ electronics.

Scary. Greenwashing utilizes numerous methods towards deceit.

-John O

Don't know how to recycle your electronics? Not convinced you should? Want to know how it's done? Check out these short clips.

Basic information on recycling computers:



"Electronic waste is the fastest growing kind of trash in America...":



Dangers of e-waste:



More data shows concern over chemicals in e-waste:



More corporations 'going green':



Computers aren't the only type of electronics you can recycle. Search Google for more important info. and instructions on how to recycle old electronic item(s) you want to get rid of. And your old cell phones are important too--instead of tossing them in the trash, consider donating cell phones to soldiers.

~Anna

I have been thinking a lot lately about buying a new laptop. My computer is only 2 years old in human years, but I think that converts to 18 in computer years. I am frustrated that there isn't just some chip I can buy to make my computer faster and better, instead I have to buy another one (granted: a laptop would be nice!). I still have the even slower computer from 5 years ago collecting dust in the closet. So despite the physical waste factor there is involved with technology, there is also the manufacturing waste factor. "Manufacturing a single MP3 player releases about 17 pounds of planet-warming carbon dioxide into the atmosphere." (Wall Street Journal) So who is at blame for all this waste? Is it US companies that hire Chinese manufacturers? Or is it China who’s primary source of energy is still coal? This is going to be a major point of contention at United Nations Climate Change Conference in Bali on December 14th, 2007. Stay tuned.
Justine Aylward
Ecomerge

Visit our website:

http://sites.google.com/site/ecomerge2008/

• Info on the conference:
  http://unfccc.int/meetings/cop_13/items/4049.php
• Info on coal (very interesting!):
  http://www.nytimes.com/2006/06/11/business/worldbusiness/11chinacoal.html?ex=1307678400en=e9ac1f6255a24fd8ei=5088partner=rssnytemc=rss