Woke up to read the business section because I need to know more about that schtuff... and I came across this article:
Inching Toward Greener Cell Phones
And it was all good and fine... yeah cellphones are pretty bad for the environment and green everythings are popping up. But there's just so much more to it than the plastic facade - like what about the minerals and metals? So I researched where those come from, and here's the most recent compelling article on it:
15 and Broke in a Cut-Throat Congo Mining Town
The NY Times doesn't really offer a solution, but I think one way we can change this is through increased awareness. Consumers like us need to be informed about those who are forced to sacrifice their futures, happiness, and health to support our desires for new cellphones and laptops.
As we begin to enjoy all of our new technologies, I think its important to identify the social and environmental costs that are not included in the price-tag we see at Best Buy. Consumers need to hear not only about the global warming and waste implications of their cellphones, they need to know about the PEOPLE who risk their lives to supply the minerals that power these recycled cellphones to light up when they're "fully charged so we can detach them from the wall socket"
This whole "Green" movement won't gain my respect until social costs are calculated along with the environmental costs. I think that enviro and social problems can, and should be solved through each other. My reasoning runs like this: if humans were no longer subjected to mine iron ore that powers cellphones, cellphone companies would either be forced to decrease production rates, or find alternative eco and human-friendly ways to make their cellphones work. As a result, the earth and Congo communities and families would be better off.
Well my cellphone is ringing... and my laptop is running of juice. Gonna go write a letter to the NY times editor. Which, like the thoughts of people mining for cellphone minerals in Congo, will probably not be publicized.
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3 comments:
forthcoming: my post about causes as commodities, like product (red) and vickie's live love recycle tees
you should take an econ course so we can talk about econ.
also, we should converse about this subject in the near future.
Is B for Betsy? Yes I'd love to take an econ course... I'm breaking through my original distates for business and econ. They're still really hard for me to understand, but I'm working on it!
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