...Urbina's article is a treasure trove of information on electronic waste within the United States. Throughout he uses clear and vivid imagery of broken monitors and televisions sets being piled up and gone to seed in warehouses and describes how the technological transition from the old CRT televisions to the newer LCD variety of impacted waste. The author, Ian Urbina is informative and packs a lot of interesting facts on policy within the article that support the hows and whys of why electronic waste is such a growing problem, which is all bolstered by the peppering of quotes from sources who work in the industry. As a cover story for the New York Times there is a lot of respect and publicity automatically assumed by readers and the audience...
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...Best Buy Fights Against Electronic Waste 1. Why do you think Best Buy has been able to gain competitive advantages in the retail electronics department while also driving many initiative to support sustainability? I think that Best Buy has been able to gain a competitive advantage in the retail electronics department while also driving many initiative to support sustainability because they are doing things that get the attention of their customers. They offer the recycling of your old electronic devices, also the Geek Squad is a great attribute to the company, it gives you added support to not have to worry if something goes wrong with your electronic there is someone there to walk you through how to use it or to fix it for you. Best buy is a customer-centered organization that aims to achieve better customer relations, continual engagement in customer dialogue, and better understanding of customer needs and preferences. They utilize Facebook, Twitter, blogs, and bestbuy.com, to gather customer feedback. 2. Do you think the resources that Best Buy is dedicating to help consumers recycle their old electronic devices represent a good investment for Best Buy? Yes, I do think that this is a great investment for Best Buy. The issue of e-waste has increased in importance among consumers. In 2007 the company made their first CSR so that consumers could know what Best Buy is doing in sustainability. When you think about it, what do people usually do with their old cell phones...
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...Introduction / Synopsis Many articles have been presented by several experts on the problems of e-waste and their management. Some experts argue that the root cause of concern for human health and the Environment is not because of the chemical and components used rather it is the severe mismanagement of e-waste in several developing countries. Others turn the attentions to the fact that the United States and European countries have no laws prohibiting the export of toxic waste. Rapid technology change, low initial cost, and even planned obsolescence have resulted in the fastest growth of the electrical and electronic equipment products and simultaneously resulted in the rapid development of e-waste around the globe due to enhanced rate of discarding the products after their end-of-life (EOL). (Bandyopadhyay). However, it is also worthwhile noting that in contrast, Waste Electronics and Electrical Equipment (WEEE) can offer a tremendous business opportunity if it would be treated in proper manner. Such is the emerging technology that support of the green computing and building our recycling infrastructure which is said to be woefully inadequate. Whichever ways these environmental issues are viewed, it is obvious in my opinion that the Waste Electronics and Electrical Equipment (WEEE) is problematic because of the vast array of chemicals and components used to manufacture EEE. The decision by all the stakeholders to act on mitigation of these problems is vital. This is a...
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...concept is an end-to-end e-waste management company dedicated to environmental stewardship with advanced recycling technology, and to extract high quality metals by rendering innovative e-waste management solutions with fastest turn-around time from e-waste to economically viable metals. This company will solve and meet three critical needs: 1. It will give municipalities and companies a cost effective alternative to landfilling and rerouting the generated e-waste. 2. It will regularize the current fragmented e-waste management industry, which consists of collectors, recyclers, transporters, smelters etc and will provide end-to-end e-waste management solutions to produce economically viable metals. 3. It will use latest metal extraction and e-waste recycling technology to produce metals that will help to meet growing demand for environmentally viable metals. The recycled metals will be targeted towards electronics manufacturers, metal traders, and equipment manufacturers. Additionally, the company will offer a service to, e-waste storage and recycling plants by municipalities, sellers and manufacturers of EEE (electrical and electronic equipment). Currently, these municipalities and companies face several issues regarding the disposal of WEEE (waste electrical and electronic equipment). Landfills are filling up fast and current e-waste management solutions are not adequate to meet the ever increasing inflow of waste. Thus, the cost of e-waste disposals is a big problem...
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...of the high cost of the energy required (estimated at $0.71 per hardware dollar by 2011), many companies are looking for ways to be more energy efficient. IBM expanded a data center in Boulder, Colorado and made the facility 45% more energy efficient than their typical data center. They used their own high-density computing systems with server and storage virtualization in conjunction with energy-efficient power and cooling systems (Brodkin, 2007). Disposal of electronic waste and recycling Electronic waste is a major concern to communities and countries around the world due to the volume of generated waste and the toxic components that may contaminate the ground, water, and impact workers in the waste facilities. Dell is a leader in the electronics recycling and responsible disposal. They have teamed with Goodwill Industries International, Inc. to responsible recycle any brand of unwanted computers or accessories at no cost. As of 2009, the partnership, called ReConnect, had diverted more than 96 million pounds of e-waste from landfills and created more than 250 'green jobs'. The revenue from recycled computer equipment...
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...environment.” Green computing is the environmentally responsible use of computers and related resources. Such practices include the implementation of energy-efficient central processing units (CPUs), servers and peripherals as well as reduced resource consumption and proper disposal of electronic waste (e-waste). GREEN computing is the environmentally responsible use of computers and related resources. Such included the implementation of energy-efficient central processing units as well as reduced resource consumption and proper disposal of electronic waste. Modern IT systems rely upon a complicated mix of people, networks and hardware; therefore GREEN computing initiative must be systemic in nature. GREEN computing may comprise items such as management restructuring, energy use, virtualization of server resources, and return on investment. The term “GREEN computing” was coined shortly after the Energy Star program. The Energy Star program was launched by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in 1992. It was designed to promote and recognize energy-efficiency in monitors, climate control equipment, and other technologies. It resulted in the widespread of sleep mode in consumer electronics. Who are some of the leaders of the green computing movement? Which corporations are leading the way? Which...
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...environment.” Green computing is the environmentally responsible use of computers and related resources. Such practices include the implementation of energy-efficient central processing units (CPUs), servers and peripherals as well as reduced resource consumption and proper disposal of electronic waste (e-waste). GREEN computing is the environmentally responsible use of computers and related resources. Such included the implementation of energy-efficient central processing units as well as reduced resource consumption and proper disposal of electronic waste. Modern IT systems rely upon a complicated mix of people, networks and hardware; therefore GREEN computing initiative must be systemic in nature. GREEN computing may comprise items such as management restructuring, energy use, virtualization of server resources, and return on investment. The term “GREEN computing” was coined shortly after the Energy Star program. The Energy Star program was launched by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in 1992. It was designed to promote and recognize energy-efficiency in monitors, climate control equipment, and other technologies. It resulted in the widespread of sleep mode in consumer electronics. Who are some of the leaders of the green computing movement? Which...
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...Company 2012 Green Computing Maximizing and Conserving Resources Eco Enterprises, Inc. Hewlett-Packard Company Contents Green Computing 1 Energy Star 1 Power Consumption 1 Reducing Environmental Impact 3 Effective Measures 3 Recycling Computer Equipment 3 Individual Steps 4 Index 5 Green Computing Computer manufacturing processes and computer waste are depleting natural resources and polluting the environment. When computers are discarded in landfills, they can release toxic materials and potentially dangerous levels of lead, mercury, and flame retardants. Green computing involves reducing the electricity consumed and environmental waste generated when using a computer. Strategies that support green computing include recycling, regulating manufacturing processes, extending the life of computers, and immediately donating or properly disposing of replaced computers. When you purchase a new computer, some retailers offer to dispose of your old computer properly. People use, and often waste, resources such as electricity and paper while using a computer. Society has become aware of this waste and is taking measures to combat it. Energy Star Personal computers, display devices, and printers should comply with guidelines of the ENERGY STAR program. The United States Department of Energy (DOE) and the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) developed the ENERGY STAR program to help reduce the amount of electricity used by computers and related...
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...Green computing, green IT or ICT Sustainability, is the study and practice of environmentally sustainable computing or IT. In the article "Harnessing Green IT: Principles and Practices", San Murugesan notes that this can include "designing, manufacturing, using, and disposing of computers, servers, and associated subsystems—such as monitors, printers, storage devices, and networking and communications systems — efficiently and effectively with minimal or no impact on the environment."[1] The goals of green computing are similar to green chemistry: reduce the use of hazardous materials, maximize energy efficiency during the product's lifetime, and promote the recyclability or biodegradability of defunct products and factory waste. Many corporate IT departments have green computing initiatives to reduce the environmental impact of their IT operations.[2] Green ICT and its services present opportunities to deliver low carbon footprints and mitigate carbon emissions because of the unique ability to make energy consumption and green house gas emissions visible through its products and services.[3] Definition - What does Green Computing mean? Green computing is the environmentally responsible and eco-friendly use of computers and their resources. In broader terms, it is also defined as the study of designing, manufacturing/engineering, using and disposing of computing devices in a way that reduces their environmental impact. Many IT manufacturers and vendors are continuously...
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...Waste Management 33 (2013) 1237–1250 Contents lists available at SciVerse ScienceDirect Waste Management journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/wasman Review Electronic waste management approaches: An overview Peeranart Kiddee a,b, Ravi Naidu a,b,⇑, Ming H. Wong c a Centre for Environmental Risk Assessment and Remediation, University of South Australia, Mawson Lakes Campus, Adelaide, SA 5095, Australia Cooperative Research Centre for Contamination Assessment and Remediation of the Environment, Mawson Lakes Campus, Adelaide, SA 5095, Australia c Croucher Institute for Environmental Sciences, Department of Biology, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon Tong, China b a r t i c l e i n f o Article history: Received 27 July 2012 Accepted 8 January 2013 Available online 10 February 2013 Keywords: Electronic waste Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) Material Flow Analysis (MFA) Multi Criteria Analysis (MCA) Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) a b s t r a c t Electronic waste (e-waste) is one of the fastest-growing pollution problems worldwide given the presence if a variety of toxic substances which can contaminate the environment and threaten human health, if disposal protocols are not meticulously managed. This paper presents an overview of toxic substances present in e-waste, their potential environmental and human health impacts together with management strategies currently being used in certain countries. Several tools including Life...
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...Daniels Fund Ethics Initiative University of New Mexico http://danielsethics.mgt.unm.edu Best Buy Fights Against Electronic Waste INTRODUCTION Although Best Buy has not been in business as long as other established brands, the company is a well-known name both within and outside of the United States. As the largest consumer electronics retailer in the world, it ranks number 72 on the Fortune 500. To maintain its competitive advantage against rivals in specialty electronics, Best Buy is engaging in competitive pricing strategies, international expansion, and the targeting of a younger demographic. In addition to discounted and high-quality products, Best Buy became known for its customer-centered approach and sustainable outreach. After realizing the importance of sustainability to its customers, Best Buy implemented an extensive recycling program. In the process, Best Buy earned itself a name as a socially responsible company. The company also adopted programs and systems to provide flexibility and aid to its employees. This case provides a brief history of Best Buy, including details on its expansion and the models it implemented to become a success. Next, we discuss Best Buy’s vision, along with the actions the company is taking to turn its vision into a reality. We briefly analyze Best Buy’s community outreach programs and look at its large-scale environmental initiatives, particularly those regarding energy savings and recycling. Finally, we examine some...
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...have diverted over 100,000 tonnes of old electronics from landfills." Visit the Ontario Electronic Stewardship HYPERLINK "http://www.ontarioelectronicstewardship.ca/" http://www.ontarioelectronicstewardship.ca/ website. Explain the purpose of the OES. "We are pleased to be a participant in a program that encourages the recycling of items that previously ended up in our landfill and provides us with the opportunity to divert approximately 500 cubic meters of materials on an annual basis." - Bob Moore, Public Works Assistant, Township of Drummond/North Elmsley Click on "Electronics We Accept" and list 6 different electronic items that are part of the program: Floor standing printing devices including printers, photocopiers, multi-function devices Scanners, typewriters Telephones and answering machines Cellular phones and pagers PDAs Audio and video players and recorders (eg. MP3, cassette, digital) Cameras (web, digital, analog) Equalizers/(pre)amplifiers Radios Receivers Speakers Turntables Video players/projectors, digital frames Video recorders Personal hand held computers From the Home page of the OES site click on the “About Environmental Handling Fees”. These fees are collected at the time of purchase of equipment by the consumer. The supplier/steward is responsible to forward these fees to the recycling companies to cover the costs of properly recycling or disposing of the electronics when you have finished using them. ...
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...| E-waste: A Deep Dive and Potential Business Opportunities | MRS PROJECT- Group 7 | | | Abhishek Pal | B14003 | Harish VVK | B14025 | Meenhaz Ahmed | B14034 | Shoutik Chakrabarti | B14051 | Snehanshu Gupta | B14054 | Arunava Ray | B14137 | | | Introduction Technology is in literal terms going to waste. In terms of electronics the world is progressing by leaps and bounds. However the recycling and handling of old, discarded and outdated electronics has not been able to keep pace. A startling fact- It is approximated that 87.5% of the world’s e-waste is not recycled! In India 40% of old, outdated and discarded electronic items languish in homes and warehouses. India is expected to have an 11% share in the global consumer electronic market by 2015. One of the biggest complaints by many environmentalists is that companies price replacement parts and repair services at unattractive rates so that consumers would prefer buying no products. This has added to the e-waste conundrum. We have discussed later an example of Nintendo breaking away from this clutter Fig. Device explosion globally Fig. The World’s highest gross e-waste producers Fig. The World’s highest e-waste Producers per Capita Fig. EPA data from “Municipal Solid Waste Generation, Recycling and Disposal in the US, 2012 ,” India is not far behind, generating 13,00,000 tonnes of e-waste annually. Fig. Projection of e-waste generation in India Quite obviously, it were...
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...Running header: E-WASTE IN INDONESIA 1 E-Waste in Indonesia: Implementing Clear Standards and Integrating the Informal Sector Donald P. Santoso ERM 428 Spring 2015 Arizona State University 2 E-WASTE IN INDONESIA Abstract While economic development gives rise to markets of emerging technologies, it also creates an emerging global issue in the management of the electronic waste (e-waste) it generates. Unfortunately Moore’s Law, which articulates that technological advancements follow an exponential upward growth every year, does not apply to the innovation in recycling that technology. E-waste is a term for waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE). These products and components can range from home appliances to consumer electronics; they are defined as e-waste once they reach the end of life, and no longer retain value through its intended function. The European Union (EU) estimates that the amount of global WEE increases 3-5% annually, equivalent to three times the growth of other categories of solid waste (Schwarzer, 2005). Electronic products have become extremely affordable in today’s economy, making it increasingly cheaper to replace these goods rather than fix them. Interval updates in the electronic sector also encourages pre-mature obsolescence of many products (Agamuthu et al., 2012). These factors contribute to a high turnover rate of electronics in the market. As a consequence, there is little incentive for both the industry and...
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...respiratory system. Mercury is used in flat screen monitors and can enter water bodies and do a considerable amount of damage to the environment. Bromine which also is present on motherboards and other printed circuit boards in the form of TBBPA (tetrabromobisphenol a) has been shown to intervene with the animal body development which is linked to impaired memory function. A lot more materials are considered toxic inside an ordinary house computer and when a person thinks their computer is just too old or broken they just toss it in a dump instead of properly disposing of these dangerous materials. Many profitable businesses have sprung up around the United States that deal with electronic waste and remove profitable materials out of old computers. Copper is abundantly used in electronics for low resistive wiring...
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