Albuquerque, NM

I heard him take a call and discovered that he is “loaning” the local Obama for America campaign a lot of computers, printers, cables, and basically whatever they need to operate more efficiently. He works with several non-profits as well. I am proud how he and many smaller businesses do their best to really support local projects. When I asked if I could have permission to blog about this he said, “Sure. However I have something else that really important to me. EWASTE.”
What followed was a long story of countries and companies complicit in a nightmarish tale. The drama is enough to make one sick.

I’ll try to keep this short. Awhile back, Steve took a consulting job with the US Post Office. They wanted to recycle their old scanners. As a good detective would do, he researched the normal story about EWASTE. What he learned was rather disappointing. Most of our waste is sold to companies in China. Many companies that claim to be earth friendly make more money and incur less expenses by selling to the Chinese. “Duh”, you may say, “so what else is new Mary? It’s a global economy right?”
When I go to recycle or do good for the earth, I seek a truely earth friendly venue.

Go visit a Chinese processing plant, and according to Steve, you’ll find children smashing monitors with sledge hammers. Children. Inside you monitor is a lead coating to reduce the radiation from the monitior to protect us. When the kids crash that monitor the lead is airborn. These children work long days, everyday, with thousands of monitors. They work in the dust. They breathe the dust. Look up the effects of lead poisioning. This is only one part of the story.

Steve did further research, and discovered that there are a few businesses in the United States that have safer technologies to reclaim the parts that can be recycable without posioning their workers. It costs more. They are monitiored and have earned the highest DOD and EPA clearances and licenses. The US Post Office went for the American companies. Encourage your community to learn about this.

In the meantime, Steve had to consider his own business. He also is concerned about educating others about these issues. First, he has created a local, at his business, recycling project. Remember this costs money. TO recycle a computer is $15, a monitor $6. Please verify the prices to make sure I am accurate. His customers often complain about the prices. I would have at first thought twice about it. However, he said he explained it to one guy this way,” You have your trash picked up, don’t you?” “Yes”, “The city charges you for trash pick-up don’t they?” “Yeah”. “Your electronics are your trash aren’t they?” “Yes.” So-o-o. It is better to become responsible citizens. It is necessary that we support our earth. Don’t forget those children.

Then I asked Steve, “What about the City of Santa Fe, the State of New Mexico?” He told me about research he has done and guess what? Some entities feel that they can pass on their guilt, responsibility, etc. to the next guy, and somehow become innocent. Sounds familiar, give our toxic waste to a management company and don’t pay attention to where they dispose of it. Hmmm, they dump it in landfills,rivers, on the side of the road….ever heard this song before. Guess what most of our EWASTE still goes to China. Picture those children again. They are just like the poor kids in our cities who are exposed to lots of toxic waste daily. They are like the Native Americans exposed to waste from uranium mining.

If anyone has time and energy, and perhaps a little political savvy to take on our local issues, join in. I’ll ask Steve for notes and names and addresses. Please contact me here. Work locally and change the world. These matters are our responsibility. If you are in Santa Fe, bring your stuff to Santa Fe Computer Works. If you have truckloads, bring friends to help sort parts safely. Call first for lots of stuff. You could also create a fund to help pay for workers, or pay fees to those who don’t have much $$$. Tell him I sent you. Reuse when possible. My computers may last me another 2-3 years!

In the meantime: organize.

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