Cisco, Dell, HP, Motorola, Nokia, Research in Motion, Sprint Nextel and Vodafone, as well as Apple, Inc. have stepped in to fulfill this vital service. A new report from Pike Research, who tracks global clean technology trends, notes that with the implementation of these private sector programs, in conjunction with new government regulations on what can end up in landfills, e-waste will begin to be curtailed in 2016, when recycling practices fully catch up with the growth of personal machinery.
Solar energy may be one of the most important technologies in the 21st
century, but the rapid pace of technology innovation has us often moving on to
the next thing without a glance at what's been left behind.
New advancements in clean technology can offer extraordinary possibilities,
but often at unpredictable costs.
Less than one year ago, we published
a report about the lack of regulations on nanotechnology
which
can contaminate air and water causing unknown impacts on human health and the
environment.
With little scrutiny or controversy, Lisa Jackson was confirmed by the Senate late last night to head the Environmental Protection Agency after a confirmation hearing where criticisms of Jackson's tenure as head of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection were given short shrift.
In her first move as EPA chief, Jackson pledged to make science "the backbone for EPA programs [1]." In a memo sent to EPA employees today, Jackson said that reducing greenhouse gas emissions, managing chemical risks, cleaning up hazardous waste and protecting America's water would receive her personal attention.
Chances are you'll be replacing some tried-and-true piece of personal electronics with a newer, faster, better model. Whether it's replacing an MP3 player with a new one, or replacing an old computer or laptop, what do you do
with the old stuff? Hopefully you don't just throw it away, especially if it still works!
FreeGeek
in Portland, OR, founded in
February 2000 and now
duplicated around the country
,
accepts donations of old computers. Donated systems are cleaned up, loaded with
GNU/Linux, and given for free to folks who volunteer there.
BAN's Mission: "BAN works to prevent the globalization of the toxic chemical crisis. We work in opposition to toxic trade in toxic wastes, toxic products and toxic technologies, that are exported from rich to poorer countries. Alternatively, we work to ensure national self-sufficiency in waste management through clean production and toxics use reductions and in support of the principle of global environmental justice -- where no peoples or environments are dispro-portionately poisoned and polluted due to the dictates of unbridled market forces and trade."
From 6/9/09 edition of Waste & Recycling News. More press coverage of EarthECycle own Jeff Nixon's response to the recent expose by BAN and ETBC. According to this article, Nixon further challenges "e-Steward companies, as well as all other U.S. electronics recyclers, to a national fundraiser to use the proceeds to clean up all electronic waste sites."