2008 Woodie Awards
Students show interest in environmental protection
By Lexxie Shiring
Rocket Contributor
Issue date: 4/20/07 Section: News
|
Greenpeace Student Network, a national network of student leaders, is taking on Apple Computers and the problems of electronic waste, or E-waste, in order to help save our environment.
According to the Electronics Guide to Greener Electronics, Apple Computer only scored 2.7 out of a possible 10 on the environmental report that was conducted by Exeter Researchers.
"They do not have a recycling policy," said Greenpeace Student Network organizer, Sam Raskin. "The only way they will take back a computer is if the customer is buying a new one."
The United Nations Environment Programme reported that 20 to 50 million tons of E-waste, including cell phones, stereos and computers, are thrown out in the trash every year.
These products are usually made to last only two or three years, and most products contain heavy metals, flame retardants and PVC plastic.
The E-waste ends up in landfills and incinerators, or is sent to developing countries where poverty-stricken families have the choice of leaving the electronics alone and watching as they contaminate their land and water, or take them apart in order to salvage bits and pieces to sell for very little money in return.
People are being poisoned by the waste contaminating their villages, or by the toxic polyvinyl chloride they breathe in while taking the computers and other electronics apart, Raskin said.
"The computers end up in developing countries where families have to choose between poverty and poison, because we are basically throwing our garbage at them," said Marisa Riggi, a member of the Greenpeace Student Network.
Be the first to comment on this story