View the CBS 60 Minutes video titled: The Electronic Wasteland to stimulate your thoughts regarding the environmental impact of Educational Technology. Then Post a comment below discussing the following:
- What are your feelings about what you have seen in this video?
- What are some possible solutions to the problems presented here?
- What can we do, with respect to e-learning, to deal with e-waste issues?
What are your feelings about what you have seen in this video?
I am saddened by the pictures of the people trying to eek out an existence by burning computer waste; washing clothing in polluted streams; smelting semi-precious ores through acid wash treatments. It is a real shocker how different life can be across cultures – how unfair our commercialized global economies impact societies, often unaware of one another’s influence at the grass roots level (ie. the average person probably has no idea that the gadget they throw away or even recycle is poisoning children across the globe).
What are some possible solutions to the problems presented here?
Mandatory recycling within country of sale. A coordinated effort for pickup of e-waste, and interception at landfills so as much e-waste as possible makes it to proper recycling plants. Heavy fines to those who are caught placing e-waste into regular landfill waste receptacles. Tariffs (which we already pay here) on goods which contain toxic elements and initiatives set up to deal with the issues in our own country rather than just shipping it to someone else.
What can we do, with respect to e-learning, to deal with e-waste issues?
This is a challenging question. How do we break the cycle? How do we get the message across that people don’t need to upgrade their gadgets every 6 months? I believe that technology can resolve some of its own issues. For example, why can’t we produce electronics with safer, biodegradable materials? Why can’t we put more emphasis on creative use of e-waste (ie. using parts to build complex gadgets which can work)? Why can’t we educate about the complete cycle of consumerism – from extraction of resources, product development and assembly, marketing and advertising, distribution, useage, to safe disposal practices? We need to make it attractive for people to get involved and do the right thing. Once measures are in place for proper disposal of e-waste, we need to make it punitive for people who continue to choose to do the wrong thing.
With some kind of government regulation this waste could be recycled using safer methods. It seems to me that the problem is the prohibition of exporting the materials, which leads to the illegal underground and unsafe activity. At the very least, the workers should be provided with ventilators and the workspace itself somewhat contained and seperate from the living environment. I assume Hong Kong is a progressive society which would likely support such gestures, and the contributers from the West could be taxed to help pay for it.
This waste is a byproduct of technology evolving too fast, but then not fast enough; there was this clumsy in-between stage which left a lot of bulky unwanted computer parts. New computer technology is smaller so conceptually there will be less waste in the future…but there will be waste, and the more compact it is made the harder it will eb to recycle. Ideally new educational technology could emphasize innovative software and teaching methodology rather than new kinds of hardware…
Unfortunately I can’t view this video as it is blocked in this country…however, from reading the posts above I am able to infer the main thread. Interestingly there was an article on an English VN news site that I read about VN and how it is a thriving location to receive garbage from other countries – particularly old/discarded technology. I just went back to this website to link the article here…and the article has been removed. Bringing us to another issue with technology, censorship. But that’s another topic for another week.
Mel – I really like your idea of mandatory recycling programs within the country of sale. In developing nations there is often little awareness about toxins/risks. People simply do what they can to survive. There is often very little public education/initiatives to help people. Thus people often put themselves at risk without knowing or having a choice.