[LINK] throw-away culture

[Kim Holburn]

On 2007/Jan/22, at 4:07 AM, Stewart Fist wrote:

>
>
> Howard writes:
>>
>> I have commented on this forum before about the lack of electronic  
>> waste
>> recycling facilities outside of the cap. cities.  I was part of a  
>> group
>> that was studying the economic viability of providing such a  
>> service, to
>> be promoted and subsidised by local councils as part of their waste
>> management responsibilities because it is not economically viable  
>> as a
>> private operation, but none were interested.  They all say, "We're
>> looking into it", but are doing nothing about it.  Unfortunately  
>> one of
>> the biggest expenses in putting together such an operation is the  
>> labour
>> costs and the associated expenses, esp. OH&S.
>
> With the high cost of labor these days, and the low cost of  
> products, I
> doubt that it will ever be commercially viable, on the standard  
> economic
> basis.

Surely we could have some sort of service model where I "rent?" a  
current computer maybe even with software and it is upgraded every so  
often.  (Isn't that the path Microsoft wants us all to go down  
anyway?;-)  If we can push the upgrade and disposal costs to the  
provider then it's in their interests to bring those costs down.

> A report a few years ago in the USA showed that just the pickup  
> cost of
> separated (recycled) garbage cost more than the amount that could be
> recovered, from everything but aluminium cans ("solidified  
> electricity").
>
> The recycling option for electronics, I believe, must become part  
> of a much
> wider and comprehensive plan which involves the use of the  
> unemployed and
> the disabled.  It must be seen as a productive form of welfare  
> assistance,
> and judged on these economics, not those of the business community.
>
> Of course, surcharges and high dumping costs would also help, but  
> not really
> solve the problem in times of such affluence.   I'm doing my bit by  
> keeping
> old iMac's alive, but I'm almost down to my last.

Australia is affluent in landfill sites but not all countries are.   
Japan is having to seriously look at limiting waste.

--
Kim Holburn
IT Network & Security Consultant
Ph: +39 06 855 4294  M: +39 3342707610
mailto:kim at holburn.net  aim://kimholburn
skype://kholburn - PGP Public Key on request

Democracy imposed from without is the severest form of tyranny.
                           -- Lloyd Biggle, Jr. Analog, Apr 1961