On Mon, 05 Jul 2010 20:46:32 +0100 andy baxter <andy@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote: > On 05/07/10 18:43, Renato wrote: > > Hello, I know this might be very OT here, but I think anyone > > involved with modern technology should know about this: > > > > http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/27/opinion/27kristof.html?_r=1&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss > > > > This is something that's bothered me for some time - pretty much any > piece of electronic hardware you use contains minerals which have > been dug out of a big hole in the ground somewhere, usually in a poor > country and often without respecting the rights of local people and > their environment. With some products you can buy fair trade in the > hope that this is making some difference at least to the unfair trade > practices that are the root of the problem, but there's no such thing > as fair trade usb sticks. > > Seeing as I like computers, I've found this quite painful over the > years > - every now and again I hear of another story of people being forced > off their land or having to live in a polluted environment, and if > I'm going to think honestly about it, there's no escaping the fact > that the things I buy are part of what's causing these problems. > > On a personal level the only answer I've come up with is to think > before I buy something whether it's something I'll actually use, and > try to stick with old hardware as long as possible (e.g. I still use > a non-internet mobile phone). Also to give stuff away when I don't > need it rather than throw it away. > > On a wider level I'm not sure what the answer is, but publicising the > issue and calling companies to account for their responsibility in > the worst cases of social and environmental abuse can only help. So I > think it's ok to post stuff like this every now and again. > > andy > _______________________________________________ > Linux-audio-user mailing list > Linux-audio-user@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx > http://lists.linuxaudio.org/listinfo/linux-audio-user On this site http://www.raisehopeforcongo.org/ you can send an email to 21 companies asking them to start using conflict-free minerals. Specific link: http://www2.americanprogress.org/t/1684/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=6265 Apart from initiatives like these, I too think the best thing we can do is buy new electronics as few as possible, and of course selling/buying/exchanging/donating second hand (which in general is ecologically far more effective than recycling). We don't realize it, but actually as customers we have great power: we vote everytime we buy something, and companies do give *great* value to our votes. renato _______________________________________________ Linux-audio-user mailing list Linux-audio-user@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx http://lists.linuxaudio.org/listinfo/linux-audio-user
