Excerpts from Ken Restivo's message of 2010-07-07 07:48:40 +0200: > On Mon, Jul 05, 2010 at 10:14:47PM +0200, Renato wrote: > > 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 > > > > > Re-use old gear rather than buying new gear! And keep your old gear running longer. > > All of which are easily possible thanks to Linux (and, look, we're back on-topic again!). > > We don't have Vista-bloat, so if we're environmentally-conscious (or just poor, or both), we can keep old gear afloat nearly forever and put it to some useful purpose, or dig up old hardware and run a Linux kernel on it and make it do something, instead of buying new crap that requires raping the earth and/or indigenous peoples. > > -ken The only problem with old gear is power consumption. I don't know what's worse from a purely ecological point of view. Most power is still generated from non-renewable sources. -- Regards, Philipp -- "Wir stehen selbst enttäuscht und sehn betroffen / Den Vorhang zu und alle Fragen offen." Bertolt Brecht, Der gute Mensch von Sezuan _______________________________________________ Linux-audio-user mailing list Linux-audio-user@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx http://lists.linuxaudio.org/listinfo/linux-audio-user
