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Print It's Not Easy Being Green
February 15, 2010
If someone mentioned mining to you, what would be the first images to come to mind? Probably dirty faces, barren landscapes and polluted waterways. Technologies such as iPods, cell phones, wind turbines, laptops, hybrid cars and solar arrays would be the last things on your mind. But without metals, and the mining industry that recovers them from the Earth, none of these modern items would exist.
There's a common assumption that advances in technology, especially green technology, will reduce our reliance on the world's natural resources. But mining metals is essential as we look toward furthering our technologically advanced society and building a sustainable future. Cell phones rely on tungsten to vibrate. Nickel is used to make the blades of wind turbines. Tellurium is used in cell phones and solar arrays. Solder used on circuit boards comes from tin. A variety of electronic devices require tantalum to store electricity. Platinum and palladium are important components of catalytic converters and air purification equipment.
Then there are the rare earth elements (REEs). Without them, hybrid and electric vehicles, as well as maglev trains, wouldn't be possible. Rare earth metals are poised to become the "foreign oil" of the 21st century. More than 95 percent of today's rare earth mining occurs in China and China is exporting less as demand within their country increases.
And with demand for these metals growing, a new black market in REEs and other metals is taking shape. According to a 60 Minutes report, gold, tin, tungsten and tellurium are funding a deadly war in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), a war whose casualties rival those of World War II. Many mines in the DRC are run by rebel militia, who use violence to terrorize and intimidate civilians into compliance. Rape is used as a weapon; over 200,000 women and girls are estimated to have been raped. In fact, this area has the highest rates of sexual violence in the world. At the root of all the violence are the mineral resources of the region. Profits earned from smuggling the metals out of the country and selling them (primarily to Uganda) are used to buy weapons and to fund the war. There seems to be no end in sight -- copper, nickel, platinum and palladium are the next regional resources poised to become "conflict minerals".
It's not that we don't have these metal deposits in the U.S. -- we do -- but market forces have made mining some of these metals unfeasible, particularly the REEs. Critics of mining have legitimate environmental concerns; some would have us halt all mining in the U.S. Adopting such a NIMBY (Not in My Backyard) mentality leaves us with the option of importing metals mined in other coutries where human rights atrocities abound and destruction of the environment is just part of doing business.
So what's the solution? Giving up our electronic devices isn't likely to happen. Abandoning green technologies would be unwise, especially as we act to combat global climate change and develop clean energy sources and vehicles with zero emissions.
A sustainable future requires the use of raw materials -- metals -- to buid the components of green technologies and green energy. We need to stress the reuse and proper recycling of these metals, which would reduce the amount that needed to be mined in the first place. We also need to build a market in metals recycling (beyond that currently in place for more traditional metals such as aluminum), which would hopefully stop the illegal exportation of e-waste and reduce the need to open more mines. Government officials and state agencies must hold mining companies to the highest standards of environmentally responsible mining practices to protect our land and water resources. As a nation we need to stop the trading of conflict minerals and require companies to report where raw materials for their products originate. Several bills have already been introduced in Congress to combat conflict minerals.
We can't live as a sustainable industrialized society without relying on the Earth's resources. The key to achieving true sustainability is realizing the Earth has a finite supply of resources, and using -- and reusing-- these resources wisely.
For more information on the world's supply of mineral resources, check out Earth's Natural Resources: An Audit, which appeared in New Scientist. For more information (and a short video) on the DRC's conflict minerals, click here or here.
Comments
interesting topic to tackle
I really love reading articles that has lots of knowledge to impart. I admire those writers who share the best of their knowledge in writing such articles.
Oh my, I totally forgot about
Oh my, I totally forgot about the connection of minerals to technology. You’re right! I think the mining industry should be given attention. Without these mining camps, minerals for making the circuitry in gadgets would be so much harder to find.
Lexus Eco-Plastic
Green Sustainable environment is the hottest issue at present.. Increasing pollution, environmental hazards has laid stress even on the manufactures find to think over it and incorpating eco and green technolgy in their products.
Following the trend Lexus too use Eco plastic in manufatureingtheir cars with classic Lexus models.
support 'green living' for our natural resources
Proper waste disposal of your papers, plastic as well as electronic gadgets is one key ( an example - shredding San Antonio ) so that you can save money at the same time prevent wastage of our natural resources. These days, more and people are getting the hang of becoming eco-friendly product ambassadors since we now experience harsh weather conditions, global warming and very serious pollution.
Heavy industrial
Definitely, mining is the main contributor to provide the most fundamental activities to heavy industrial such as FRP and FRP Pipe. And for your all information, mining industry in many countries doesn't get reimburse as in upgrading their mining process system and so on. Great article anyway.
E-waste recycling
E-waste recycling of discarded, surplus, obsolete, or broken electrical or electronic devices is a must if green is going to really mean anything. This is a huge industry unto itself. And the "not-in-my-backyard" mentality doesn't help, but having a green backyard is as far as a lot of people get in their thinking about hugging trees and kissing whales and so on. Not only is it not easy being green, it isn't all that easy being conscious of one's environment outside of the mind's eye and aware of the need for change, either.
green is indeed not easy
Government should have higher awareness towards industrial production/manufacturing because it is the root cause of major pollutions to our mother earth.
Agree
I definitly agree that we as a race that depends so much on these finite resources must invest our efforts in creating better ways to use the resources that we have already aquired. We must not only smartly use the resources that we have, but also smartly re-use these resources. As technology furthers and old tech's become obsolete we need to properly recycle and reuse the resources from the outdated products. If we can be efficient at this then the need for mining new resources will decrease.
things need to change.
This is just awful to read about. when it comes to trying to help thee people out i dont think there is much we can do. We could go there or send money to help people but whats happeing is gonna happen. we really need to focus on green technology to stop the fighting between materials. if this keeps up what gonna happen when fresh water is gone.
It's true that when a mine is
It's true that when a mine is mentioned the image that comes to mind resembles the quarries that are scattered around Winona. Some may think of the inequalities accomanied with mining (I only did becuase I recently watched the movie Blood Diamond); however, i doubt many associate these types of issues with their cell phone, iPod, or the windmills scattered along the highways. Violence and political issues that evolve because of these minerals should only motivate the U.S and other nations to pursue more effective and accesible ways to recycle these materials. If we can make recyling more available, there will be less harm to the environment and to countries that mine them. Much of the world's modern technology and the future of green technology depends on these minerals. You would think countries such as the United States would be interested in pursuing an idea that could help countries such as the Congo, re-use expensive materials that we import, and preserve resources that have the potential to make Earth a greener planet.
Have you seen all of the
Have you seen all of the people who are going green by buying a Toyota Prius? These cars have the largest amount of "rare earths" compared to every other object in this world. There are approximately 35 pounds of these rare earth elements in every Prius according to commodities analyst Jack Lifton. And these are the cars that are best for the environment? Interesting.... luckily, according to this article (where I got this info, http://green.autoblog.com/2009/08/31/report-toyota-braces-for-rare-earth...), there will be more mines opening, these ones closer to home.
A Global Economy
While everyone talks about a Global Economy we have to realize that we all live one one planet. When we dig something up out of the ground the stain it creates stretches far beyond the mine. All of the energy used to mine it, refine, transport it, manufacture it, transport it again and finally to dispose of it all leave stains across the continents and oceans. Think about a new television. How many places do the raw materials come from? Where were the components manufactured? Where was the television itself made and finally how did it get to you? There are no longer "local" environmental problems. Everything we do affects the air we all breathe, the water we all drink and soils that grow our foods. We need to take responsibility for what we are doing and ask that everyone else does the same. We only have one planet and we need to realize that we are all in this together.
Mining in the U.S.
Like many others have said, I also did not know about the war in Congo being fought over the acquisition of rare earth elements, which we use everyday in our cellphones and other electronic devices. I think the fact that we allow conflicts like this to go on while we're sitting on known mineral reserves that could be used to stop the demand for resources from these places is somewhat ridiculous. I can understand the NIMBY mentality, but compared to the results from allowing countries wherein rebel militia that control and operate the mine are raping and waging war on the people of the region, defacing some U.S. soil sounds like a much better alternative. The fact that China, the leader in REE production, is reducing their exportation to further support themselves only reinforces the fact that we need to control our own mineral production. With a mineral market in the U.S., under the supervisory of the EPA and other agencies, REE and other important metals could be mined in an environmentally safe and productive manner.
I guess I did hear about some
I guess I did hear about some things like this going on in the Congo, but I never really knew why. I think it is crazy to think about the fact that the production and profits from mineral resources there are the reason. I wonder what America is doing about this, or can we do anything? There is no reason why thousands of women should be raped and it all leads to mineral production? Is the Congo doing anything about this either?
Plus everything is getting cheaper!
It's also scary to think that technology such as cellphones are getting cheaper every year. You can go pick one up for under 20 dollars now! It's so upsetting to know they use so many valuable resources and precious metals to make them and then on top of that sell them for such a low cost. This is an issue that needs to be brought out more, i would hope if more people knew about this topic things could change.
Once again, it is another
Once again, it is another topic that I wasn't aware of because, like the majority of others, I simply do not think of where my goods and services are coming from. I am absolutely not saying it is an acceptable excuse, but just telling it the way it is. We have come very detached from where our goods and technologies come from because we have so many sources for them and within that source is a grapevine of other sources of their very beginnings. The tech craze will only worsen this fact. The problem stems from the mindset of our country and our crave of conveniences that we have been spoiled with. These are now expectations and not priviledges some others would see them. There needs to be a shift in thinking and questioning as to how things are run in our country because it seems there is a huge lack of this..partly because the government doesn't want us to know a lot. If we uncovered half of what goes on behind the scenes there would be much more resistance.
Green Mining
I think that the problem we face in this situation is selfishness. We as a country have the resources to mine along with the ability to mine these resources in a green way, but instead people say that "we don't want mining in our back yard", they would rather buy mined "conflict minerals" in order to preserve their own home aesthetics. If it is more important to depend on minerals from countries that are ethically immoral toward other human beings and yet we can do more to mine these minerals in our own country in a green way why aren't we? It would not only be better for our economy, our earth, and eliminate the dependence on those who are harmful, but it would allow us to stand firm and show our own moral and ethical beliefs against those people and countries that allow this to happen. This in turn would perhaps make a stand against all those who are doing this and allowing this to happen in order to make all of our world a better place.
Rethinking our methods
LIke it was said above, it's not likely that we are about to give up our electronic toys however unnecessary they are. This means that the way we dispose/resuse of our resources needs to change. I think back to the e-waste documentary that we viewed in class about the places far outside the U.S.A. where our e-waste ends up. If these metals and minerals are so vital to our advancements in technology then why are we shipping these resources outside the borders just to import them again at a higher cost? The comment labeled "psychologcal approach" caught my eye, too. Most of the e-waste generated is because perfectly fine electronic gadgets are thrown out for essentially the same gadget( yet bigger, better and faster) in a different skin. I think that in order to move towards a sustainable future with these resources, we need to start thinking twice about replacing and mainly reusing our discarded "junk".
It is really crazy good and
It is really crazy good and bad things come from technology. Technology makes things easier, but it also causes problems. I never really knew that things were this bad, though. Technolgy seems so great but it also causes a lot of problems. Is it really worth all of the war and distruction?... What is the ultimate cost?
Diseases from Mosquitoes
Mining can have a huge impact on the people and environment. The effects of mining can be the start of diseases. The liquid waste that is extracted from the mining is sometimes left in the mining pit. As water collects in the pit it has mine tailings. As that water sits there and keeps adding to it, it then becomes a breeding ground for water-borne diseases such as mosquitoes to flourish. Mosquitoes have been known to carry Encephalitis, West Nile Fever, Dengue Fever, Malaria, and Yellow Fever. Almost all of these mosquito diseases if left untreated can lead to death.
http://www.buzzle.com/articles/how-does-mining-affect-the-environment.html
I never realized the amount
I never realized the amount of metals and the different kinds we use in everyday products like cell phones and iPods. I never thought of it being a problem trying to obtain the materials to makes them. Pretty much every American has either a phone or an iPod, which is shocking to find out that there is a problem making them and the production isn't eco-friendly. I think changes should be made, because demands of iPods aren’t going to go down and the environment is going to continue getting hurt.
I agree with this, it's
I agree with this, it's crazy to think about how people don't know how to get rid of things as common as cell phones, batteries and old electronics properly.
Eye opener
This is quite an eye opener for me. I had no idea this was an issue. I
am surprised there is not more information about this in the news to
inform people of these issues. That is really too bad about the many
women that are raped to obtain mineral resources.We definitely need to recycle more and
find alternative elements for technologies. I do believe we are doing
better recycling than previous years,but it is our responsibility to
find other ways to help prevent e-waste and consume less of our natural
resources.
agreed
This was extremely eye opening for me too. I had no idea all of this is going on or was such an issue. There needs to be more information on these problems with to help people to understand what is going on with our technologies. I was astounded by the raping statistics in Congo over the minerals used in our technologies all over the world. The gold, tin, tungsten and tellurium found in all of our devices are funding a war in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. How can we live with ourselves while we fund the wars that are going on in other countries. There needs to be more information and less price put on the importance of having these items.
Many mines in the DRC are run by rebel militia, who use violence to terrorize and intimidate civilians into compliance. Rape is used as a weapon; over 200,000 women and girls are estimated to have been raped. This area has the highest rates of sexual violence in the world. It’s calculated and it’s brutal. The International Rescue Committee is focusing on emergency care, counseling, prevention, advocacy and other support for survivors. There has been a recent peace agreement could halt the fighting in the Democratic Republic of Congo but it has done nothing to end the war on women. Tens of thousands of women and girls have suffered attacks, leaving them physically damaged and emotionally terrorized. The international Rescue Committee is trying to help save the lives of these women in the Congo. The IRC and a number of other aid groups are working to ensure that women and girls have access to critical care.
This is a critical issue for everyone and especially women. It needs to be discussed and stopped. Education on the issue is the only way to stop the war with minerals and stop the war on women.
I think it all comes down to
I think it all comes down to responsibility. In a nation that doesn't seem to care too much about others, we need to single ourselves out an step up. Yes, we will probably never stop making computers, phones and Ipods, but what we do with the waste is what matters. After we are tired of the model or want the next best thing, what do we do with our now discarded object? That next decision is what determines our future.
Recycling is something that
Recycling is something that we give a lot of our attention to, but our efforts don’t seem to match our advertised enthusiasm. What I mean is, we often hear people talking about eco-this and green- that; but what are we as individuals doing to ease the strain we’re putting on our planet, ourselves, and our future generations? I’m sure I’m not that different from my classmates in saying that I recycle the best I can, I’ll admit that there are times when my paper or pop can doesn’t make it to the recycle bin. Once I drop it in the basket, I couldn’t tell you where it goes, or what kinds of problems a simple item like a non recycled soda can cause to the environment. As for an old cell phone or computer screen, forget it. I had no idea as to the kinds of resources needed in order to get my tiny little iPod to work. Recycling and the reuse of our materials is a great concept and a wonderful effort, but without the general public being aware of what happens when their trash leaves the curbside, it seems as though things will continue just the same as they have. Growing up in a place that’s provided me with everything I’ve needed to succeed, it’s easy to assume that someone else is just going to take care of the problem. There is going to come a time when we won’t be able to look the other way and pretend that everything is okay, what then?
building a market
I think recycling is advertized a great deal for pop cans, water bottles and newspapers etc... but not for electronics. I believe if this idea of recycling your cell phones, tv screens, computers and such was advertized as much as recycling your pop cans we would have much greater success. Building a market for the recycling of electronics would reduce how much we need to mine. This is a great idea, and education on this issue needs to continue.
I agree completely with
I agree completely with Hilary. Without a realization of the impact each of us play on the ecosystem, it is highly unlikely that a change will occur. I think that recycling and reusing is a great way to make the most of our products as consumers. It is crucial to understand as Hilary said where the trash goes, once it leaves the curb. I would be interested to know where all the trash really goes. I'm also curious as to whether or not all the materials we place in recycling actually makes it there. Too often, i've seen recycling canisters dumped into the large trash bins. I feel as though everyone needs to work together, if we take the time to sort our trash and recycling and they remain that way after they leave the curb--we will be doing our part to make the most of our resources.
It's interesting
I didn't even realize this was an issue. I know the United States gets materials from outside resources, but I had no idea metals were so heavily utilized. I think moving towards "green" technology would be good, but I think it will be a while before someone develops something that would fit a "green" criteria.
Alright let's face it, this
Alright let's face it, this is pretty alarming. How the United States is being so dumbfounded about how things really are and using up all the resources so really no one else can. But why is each story that is posted on this blog disconcerting? How come we are still shocked that the way the United States have been living can not keep going on like this any longer? I agree with a blog post response that said, all we want is bigger better things and we have become so wrapped up with the whole green eyed monster that we forget what we actually need, the basics, to survival (yes I am a victim to this. . . ) However, how is Europe doing it? They have a system now that is green. They are using less cars on the roads and public transportation. They are bringing tote bags to grocery stores and saving resources and only taking 2 minute showers. So how do we, as the United States, make going green "cool"?
America's Part
I was surprised to hear the issue about gold and the Congo. I took a few minutes to watch the 60 minutes exclusive on gold and other minerals in the Congo and really came to the realization of how much we don't know. In the United States we live in a very close minded world. The average American goes through day after day paying attention to their personal problems and situations and not the larger picture. I think it is time that Americans and American companies begin to realize the impact we have on the rest of the world. It is completely selfish when companies that sell jewelry don't take the responsibility to know where their gold is coming from. We as consumers should demand to know such information so that it is clear that we are not contributing to atrocities like those going on in the Congo. After all who would willingly give money to support a industry run by rape and murder? I am pretty positive that the answer is no one. Since it is our wish to live the technologically dependent lifestyle that we life we have to be accountable for the way we do so.
Education
The average American does not know many of the struggles and conflicts occurring overseas, including that of mining metals. This post reminded me of the movie Blood Diamond, where many of the diamonds being mined and discovered are sold to profit war in Africa. Using the world's resources in a manner like this seems incomprehensible to Americans; yet they continue to buy goods left and right without a care as to what was done to get it there. Many of these problems due to ignorance can only be remedied with further education surrounding conflicts like in the Congo. More specials such as 60 Minutes should focus on the ongoing problems of resource use and promotion of reuse. Discovery of how to reuse the material in our ipods, computers and cellphones also is an issue that needs to be developed. I think that America needs to make issues such as these a priority. Educating the citizens and developing programs for reuse as well as increasing how much America produces on its own should be among these priorities. Self sufficient sustainability is an aspect that America continuously needs to improve.
This is a sad issue that most
This is a sad issue that most probably don't realize. Every time I hear or read anything related to waste or mining my jaw drops, yet, after I think about it, I'm not shocked. The United States is an industrialized, greedy country that wants to be on top. We say we're "green" and want to be more environmentally conscience, but I feel as thought this is a slight bluff. We hear of possible solutions or tips to become more green, but are we (the United States) actually committing to this? Ever since we put a man on the moon we've tried to maintain our status in the industrial world, which seems to be doing ok, after all we have how many different types of phones and computers that, ultimately, achieve the same thing as any other electronic device in its category; the differences in electronics shouldn't be enough to continue such productions, especially with e-waste the way it is. It's almost as if there is a societal A.D.D....we can never stay connected to the present and maintain what is here now, so we focus on what's next without really thinking about the outcome thoroughly. The United States went to the moon around forty years ago and since then technology has advanced drastically. If we managed to fly 250,00 miles to an unkown world forty years ago, how come we can't manage things now? Have we been brainwashed to crave more and lost the concept of what we really need to survive?
I really agree with what
I really agree with what you're saying. The fact that we have gotten so greedy and constantly need to come up with new things is ridiculous. Whatever happened to just needing the essentials. We have cell phones and computers but that never seems to be good enough. We constantly need to upgrade to new things and why is that? Why cant we just be happy with what we have? To see how things have just gotten worse in our economy is sad. Plus the fact that we get things from other countries and do not ask questions. We will take whatever we think we need at the expense of others and is sad. I believe that our society needs to slow down in the production of some technology because it is constantly changing, and for what reason? Just because? What do we do with all the old technology? We should be giving them to others that aren't able to have these goods. We as America should help other people to succeed and be thankful for what we have and not be so greedy to need something new.
Psychological Approach
Although many critics and articles discuss the need for sustainable development, recycling, and the monitoring of mining practices, I think that the key point that most people are missing is the psychological approach to the population. In a first world, developed nation like the United States, much of the population is driven by the "bigger, better, faster, more" mentality. Even if an electronic device is stil in perfectly good condition (such as a cell phone) many people will go out and buy another because the newer version is out, or this new phone has a camera, or it has the capability of high speed internet. Part of the waste issue, especially with REE's and other mined elements, is the desire to have the latest and greatest technology at our fingertips.
In my opinion, until the general populace changes the way they view their material needs and wants, waste will continue to grow and the demand for these commodities will not go away.
Psychology does have a great
Psychology does have a great impact on this issue. Americans are becoming more and more materialistic and it all started in the early 1900's. Sigmund Frueds nephew Edward Bernays started what is now called public relations. Long story short, he was the first to figure out how to persuade masses of people into thinking not about their needs but their desires. Just think about all the commercials you see on TV, how many things advertised do you actually NEED. All this consumerism is depleting natural resources and destroying Mother Earth. I agree with Lynn that untill humans become less materialistic, our problem with mining and waste will just get worse.
Maybe it is just a waste issue in general
In general waste is out of hand. I am currently working on a piece on waste and the gift economy and freegan lifestyle. The issue is waste and lack of reuse that happens. It is a communication road block that stops the relationships that help the wates that is unused get resued. It is the difference between buying a new lawnmower to replace your broken one or borrowing your neighbors while you take yours into the shop. It is sharing eachothers resources. That is the major difference. So maybe it isn't stoping the use of technology in our lives but sharing it and sharing it as a resource.
I agree here, I think if
I agree here, I think if there was more sharing amongst the community, people would generate a lot less waste. I also think this would help educate us about waste, because people would have to come together and could share knowledge while sharing resources and creating less waste.
Waste is out of hand
I agree with Michelle completely. I think it's the waste issue as a whole. A couple weeks ago, Candace had posted the blog about e-waste. We are putting trust in the people that are recycling our used electronics and they are placing them in the proper place. Another issue that came up in a class of mine a few weeks ago was recycling. We can put for the effort to recycle things on campus or in our homes, but how do we know they aren't just dumping the recycling in with the regular trash? I think we need to be conscious of what is being recycled and how it is being reused. By utlizing what we already have and remaking things from recycled materials, we are using up less of our resources. And Michelle, great point about the lawnmowers. I know many people that would probably just let their grass grow until their mower was fixed.
Overwhelming
As overwhelming as this topic may seem, we can only be dumbfounded for a minute or two before action need to be taken. America needs to take control of its own resources and thinking towards the effect of our future needs, and not just the material itself. There is huge potential in the market of reusing and recycling such things as e-waste that threaten to only become more prevalent as countries develop more technology, and we need to get in on that action now.
WSU is hosting a fundraiser for the DRC
International services, Women’s and Gender Studies, International Club, PAVE and FORGE are coming together to celebrate INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY at Winona State University.
· Date: March 2nd, 2010
· Time: 11:30 – 1:00
· Place: East Hall of Kryzsko Commons
· Cost of tickets $12.00 (available at International Services, Student Union)
· A fundraiser for Violence against women in the D.R. of Congo
Featuring authentic Kenyan food, a student-led presentation from the Women’s and Gender Studies Program on gendered violence in the D.R. of Congo, perspectives by International students from Rwanda, Congo and more.
Please join me at this event!
I think this event will be a
I think this event will be a good way to get information to people. I think information about these things needs to be presented to people in our community.
This should be a great
This should be a great presentation, i think it'll be great to try new food and learn more about gendered violence. I think that more people need to be aware of these issues, because they do exist in Winona. International womens day should be a good event.
I think the idea of a market
I think the idea of a market in metals recycling is a great idea in theory but will be very hard to get rolling due to economic reasons. These obstacles include how to go about the process safely and still become profitable, payment to workers in hazardous material conditions, providing the public with incentive to look around and donate their e waste. In order for a metals market such as this to start in the United States there would need to be an advancement in technology to make it economically profitable for a business to be able to safely and efficiently take apart this e waste and get it separated into its native form. Another possible problem would be trying to round up enough old e waste to slow or stop the need for new minerals to me mined. The next problem that I can see in this scenario is where you would be able to put these recycling centers that are going to melt and reclaim these minerals from the electronic waste. The final question I have is how much “Waste” is this actually saving, we will definitely benefit from getting these native elements back but just about every electronic device I look at is still covered with other material such as plastic, glass, wire, etc that would not be recovered. Is there a way to re use it all?
Taking Responsibility
Reading about the atrocities that are taking place in other countries because we, here in the U.S., need materials for our iPods is an outrage. It reminds me of the previous post about e-waste, and how we are looking the other way while OUR hazardous waste is dumped in other countries, resulting in horrible conditions for the people living and working in those environments. It's time we take responsibility for our way of life, and we need to take a serious look at the way we depend on other countries to do our dirty work so that we don't have to. Why can't we mine for materials in our own country? Because that would deface our beautiful landscape - no one wants to look out of their pristine, regularly-watered lawn and see the not-so-glamorous effects of mining. Our solution is to import materials from other countries, but what we don't realize is that it will eventually come back to bite us in our beautiful back yards. It also reminds me of our reliance on other shady markets that have a horrendous impact on the countries that placate us - such as the blood diamond trade that has devastated nations for decades. If we can build new technologies for things like iPods and giant HDTV's, we can figure out a way to mine here in the United States in a clean, responsible manner. And we can implement smart ways of recycling these materials that are finite. Depending on other countries for necessary but finite natural resources is dangerous - according to the US Census, 17% of our mining imports come from China. If they continue to restrict their exports for their own use, where does that leave us?
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