« MacWorld’s shuffle Review Posted | Main | Time for Gadget of the Week »
January 19, 2005
This Land Is Your Land, This Land Is My Land…
Doesn't that picture just make you cringe? The Computer Take Back Campaign is an organization that aims to lessen the negative health and environmental impact that consumer electronics has on people and the environment. They point to three ways to accomplish this goal;
- Manufacturer recovery programs where the manufacturer of the product will accept the device at the end of it's life cycle. They take responsibility of the recycling and/or proper disposal of the product.
- Use less toxins in the manufacturing process. Lead and mercury are the really bad ones that are commonly used in the manufacture of circuit boards and monitors.
- Recycle the products at the end of the life cycle. A large portion of a typical electronic device is recyclable. Who better to recycle the device than the company that made it?
The Computer Take Back Campaign is putting the hurt on Apple these days. They organized a protest at the Macworld Expo and have targeted them on their web site. It's a shame too, since I think Apple should be at the forefront of an environmentally sensitive initiative instead of being the target of one. The site's comments about the iPod's batteries are subject to some debate, however, and I don't completely agree with them there.
eBay is sponsoring the Rethink Initiative which, "brings together industry, government, environmental and charitable groups to offer a fresh perspective and new answers to the challenge of e-waste." Apple is listed as a partner in this organization along with a number of other electronics/computer companies.
If you want my opinion, and since you're reading this blog you're going to get it, this movement and these ideals are an imperative. This is not an Apple problem, it is an industry-wide problem that needs to be dealt with. The sooner the better, if it's not already too late that is. If the onus is put back onto the manufacturer, that will surely drive up the price of consumer electronics, I realize that. But that is a better and more efficient method than to push the problem down the chain into the local government's jurisdiction when it comes time to deal with the pollution of the local landfill or make the sometimes community-funded recycling center try to deal with it.
For more information see:
Rethink Initiative
Computer Take Back Campaign
Demonstrating concern Environmentalists picket at Macworld over Apple policies
Posted on January 19, 2005 12:03 PM | Category: Culture, Not directly iPod related…
