This morning i listened to a swedish radio program called "Konflikt". (The program is in swedish, possible to listen to again at the website)
The program discussed electronic waste shipped to African countries like Congo and Nigeria. It gave an interesting overview of different interests and concerns of people, organizations and corporations involving shipment of electronic waste. While people shipping old stoves and refrigerators etc regard that they are contributing to higher life-standards in Africa, BAN (see below) where concerned that only about 20% was actually functioning, and the rest could not be re-used. As these countries have no expertise or resources to deal with electronic waste, and products containing toxics are burnt. This already causes a severe environmental and human threat, and the electronic waste is radically increasing every year.
After such a program, it's easy to mostly see the negative impact of electronic products: radio, mobile phones, tv and Internet... Today they cause a tremendous load of toxic waste, but this is because we are working with technology built from a toxic design material (and which use loads of energy...). This can hopefully change, just as our current unsustainable consumption of such products. From another point of view, technology can also bring us emotionally closer to people, animals and nature in other parts of the world, and help us understand what needs to be done.
The program also briefly discussed Performance economy (a book by Walter Stahel)on how industrial countries can achive a sustainable economy and contribute to a sustainable world.
Basel Action Network (BAN)is an organization that confronts the global environmental injustice and economic inefficiency of toxic trade, such as toxic wastes, products and technologies) and its hazardous impacts, when being exported from rich to poorer countries. They also work with national self-sufficiency in waste management, to support global environmental justice. The goal is that no people or environments should be dispro-proportionately poisoned and polluted due to market forces and trade.
