Computer Recycling

An Argument for Recycling Computers

2009-06-02T22:01:00.002-04:00

The following portion is of an article that appears on the Ethical Living Blog of the UK's Guardian website:

Besides bridging the digital divide, the rationale for donating computers for reuse is that it is supposed to be greener. Even before a computer is switched on for the first time, as much as 75% of its lifecycle fossil fuels have already been consumed in manufacturing it, not to mention around 1.7 tonnes of raw materials and water. With half a million PCs disposed of globally every day and nearly half a billion mobile phones discarded each year, it stands to reason that giving your old laptop to someone who needs it is one sure-fire way to curb emissions, save precious resources and help the developing world in the process.

But in passing on our PCs, we need to also take into account an additional cost that is often overlooked or ignored.

Besides the emissions an individual PC is responsible for, there are the subsequent e-missions – the greenhouse gases incurred by the internet itself. In 2007 the world's computers, monitors, telecoms networks, routers and the data centres that keeps the internet running carried a carbon mouse-click of 830m tonnes of CO2. Even by the industry's own conservative estimates, that's the equivalent of 2% of all global greenhouse gas emissions for that year, putting it on a par with the aviation industry.

[Read the complete article]

What are YOUR thoughts?

Learn to Recycle Your Electronics

2009-05-14T22:48:00.003-04:00

I've recently come across a website that has been taking the e-waste recycling "world" by storm. Electronics TakeBack Coalition.

From their website:

The Electronics TakeBack Coalition (ETBC) promotes green design and responsible recycling in the electronics industry. Our goal is to protect the health and well being of electronics users, workers, and the communities where electronics are produced and discarded by requiring consumer electronics manufacturers and brand owners to take full responsibility for the life cycle of their products, through effective public policy requirements or enforceable agreements.

We will accomplish this goal by establishing extended producer responsibility (EPR) as the policy tool to promote sustainable production and consumption of consumer electronics (all products with a circuit board). The Campaign will focus first on establishing EPR for personal computers. EPR will improve the next generation of solid waste and toxic materials policy, promote the manufacture of cleaner computers and curb the flow of toxic electronic waste by pushing manufacturers to take responsibility for their waste, internalizing its cost in corporate bottom lines, and phasing out the use of hazardous substances.

This website provides concise information on such topics as why electronics are hard to recycle due to the toxins they contain and about issues such as how most companies do not recycle, but export the waste to other countries.

Recycling is going too well in Oregon

2009-05-14T22:41:00.003-04:00

It seems Oregon is having a great problem! Their recycling program is going too well.

Last January, they passed a law concerning the recycling of electronics. Since then, recycling centers have been inundated with old computer monitors and TVs, especially with the upcoming switch to Digital TV.

Read the full (but short) article here:
Electronic-waste recycling: The cup runneth over