High Tech Isn’t as Clean as It Looks: The Story of Electronics
If you haven’t yet seen The Story of Electronics, you should. The Story of Electronics is part of Annie Leonard and Free Range Studio’s Story of Stuff Project, a non-profit dedicated to investigating our relationship with the stuff we own and the consequences of consumer habits. The video is a great primer on e-waste issues.
Leonard argues that products are “designed for the dump”—companies expect to be able to grow profits at the same rate that processing power grows, which requires that consumers buy new products regularly rather than repairing the devices they already have. But the resulting waste is toxic.
In the video, she addresses complex issues succinctly without over-simplifying:
There are billions of people out there who want access to the incredible web of information and entertainment that electronics offer. But it’s the access they want, not all the toxic garbage.
In response, she promotes manufacturer take back programs, which we will consider in more detail in another post soon.
The Story of Stuff videos make environmentally sound product design and responsible consumer behavior interesting, fun, and shareable.
Comments
@Elizabeth ; Actually this little video flash production and the website it rests on (see annotated script on their site) actually supports the ban of exports, and supports BAN and E-Stewards which stand for exactly the opposite of what ifixit promotes : repairing and reusing.
BAN wants to stop exports. Problem is, exporting usable fixable repairable electronics to so-called under-developed countries is just saying “you can fix it, as long as you are American.” And yes, you can certain stretch that and replace “American” with “white” because it’s very true.
So, in the end, the people in Asia, Africa, South America (different colors, different beliefs), that are all perfectly capable of making complex repairs on electronics are stuck wading through the illegal garbage exports instead because companies here cannot afford to test or repair or even sort the items they are “recycling.”
So although I certainly do applaud Leonard’s efforts, this is nothing more than a BAN commercial.
And ifixit’s manifesto is awe inspiring, yet it leaves out one basic simple thing.
No where does it say “anywhere in the world” or “no matter where we live” or “regardless of what color our skin is.”
Ifixit.com is one of of my favorite sites to watch. But at some point the Global part of the problem needs to be actually addressed rather than showing BAN commercials. What better place than the Manifesto itself?
People have the right to access of good electronics anywhere in the world just like we do.
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