"High-Tech Trash" By Chris Carroll (Abstract)

Citizens do not have any harmful intention when they recycle, just the idea that they are doing their part in taking care of mother earth. However, unbeknownst to them, the waste from our vast majority of electronics is doing the opposite of their expectations. E-waste, electronic waste, is ending up in under developed countries such as Ghana in Africa, and also heavily populated countries such as China. This is shared with us by Carroll from his personal visits to Ghana and China. Such e-waste carries extremely harmful chemicals that can cause serious health defects to those who dismember the parts to sell as scrap for just a little piece of change (p.30).

According to Mensah, a well-to-do man whom Carroll interviewed in Ghana, “the key to making money is speed, not safety (p.31). It is this kind of mentality that has allowed something meant to benefit the world and its inhabitants, to become something exploited because of greed. Sadly, it has all people fooled, including the owners of recycling companies who assumed they were doing a good deed and making a profit by selling e-waste to be re-used. Even more disappointing is that citizens in the world have come together to promote“going green” to save the planet have been, but from movies such as “Exporting Harm,” the truth is reveaveled about our recyclables and e-waste (p.34). The fight has most certainly become weakened.

E-waste is a serious issue that is effecting specifically under-developed countries. Sooner or later it will soon come back to haunt the developed countries who dump their e-waste in those under-developed countries. Yes, laws have been passed, or attempted to be passed but, but they have been too weak to be of any relevance . One such legislation was the Basel Convention. However, it was too weak and the Basel Ban came into play. Only Europe actively seeks to observe it. Yet still illegal exporting of e-waste is still active. The US, on the other hand, has taken on a more laid back approach to the issue (p.32). So I must ask myself, as I am sure others have done, is “going green” even worth it? Maybe for everything else, but when it comes to e-waste my best bet is probably to just dump it in the garbage.