Hunter Straub
Tricia Groah
Challenge Based Learning Project Essay
“...Only 2% of PCs ever find their way to a second user..” (dosomething.org) This statistic is only one of many that show the very little amounts of E-waste that is actually being recycled. The amount of electronic waste needs to be reduced, and by raising awareness of the issue we can stop the harmful effects it has on the environment and the human body.
The challenge is to reduce electronic waste in the community. “The category of “selected consumer electronic products” grew by almost 5% from 2007 to 2008...” (electronicstakeback.com, Pg 3) This statistic shows that the amount of e-waste is not only growing, but it’s growing very rapidly. “...e-waste shows a higher growth rate than any other category of municipal waste in the EPA’s report.” This statistic again shows that e-waste is a very large growing issue, and is growing much more than many other similar waste-related issues, and that it should definitely be attended to and brought to the attention of people. Not only is e-waste becoming a more prominent, growing issue in society leads people to take a closer look at what effects it causes to make it an issue in the first place.
E-waste has a very negative effect on the environment and the human body, and unless they are recycled, they will continue to hinder the ability to have a cleaner Earth. “Cathode ray tubes in older TVs and computers typically contain about 4 lbs of lead...” (dosomething.org) Lead is very harmful to the environment, and having four pounds of it in a single old TV or computer can really add up. Lead slows the process of decomposition, kills or stunts the growth of plants, wipes out micro-organisms on the soil, and/or it affects the central nervous system of animals who have obtained lead poisoning from lead-infested plants. “Flat panel computer monitors and notebooks often contain a small amount of mercury in the bulbs used to light them.” (dosomething.org) If mercury gets into plants or into the water stream, humans can be susceptible to mercury poisoning. Mercury affects the central and peripheral nervous systems, can cause damage to an unborn child, and it may even affect the heart and circulatory system. The negative effects of e-waste prove that a solution is needed.
Due to the fact many people don’t know about e-waste (what it is and what it does), a plausible solution would be to raise awareness of the issue itself and provide information of where to recycle what. “It is interesting how little people know about how, what, when, and where to recycle or discard old items and waste.” (winona360.winona.edu) This statement is one of many that bluntly state how little people actually know about this topic. By raising awareness, people will actually know how to, where to, and what items to recycle or discard. People must first know the issue in order to fix it. “Manufacturers of computer monitors, television sets and other electronic devices containing hazardous materials must be responsible for educating consumers and the general public regarding the potential threat to public health and the environment posed by their products, and for raising awareness of the proper waste management protocol.” (cawrecycles.org) This statement says that manufacturers are to blame not citizens; I disagree. Along with the everyday citizen being uneducated about this matter, the manufacturers are equally at blame. Though the actions of the manufacturers cannot be regulated by us, the proper way of disposing of it can be made common knowledge. The solution to this problem is an easy thing to grasp, but actually applying it to our society is the real challenge.
The lack of knowledge on e-waste can lead to an economic crisis in the United States if all citizens attempted to dispose of electronics incorrectly. Countless harmful chemicals and materials are used to create these electronics, and the only way to preserve our environment is to raise awareness about this subject. People should care about this issue for one main reason: not caring will harm both our economy, and our environment.
Tricia Groah
Challenge Based Learning Project Essay
“...Only 2% of PCs ever find their way to a second user..” (dosomething.org) This statistic is only one of many that show the very little amounts of E-waste that is actually being recycled. The amount of electronic waste needs to be reduced, and by raising awareness of the issue we can stop the harmful effects it has on the environment and the human body.
The challenge is to reduce electronic waste in the community. “The category of “selected consumer electronic products” grew by almost 5% from 2007 to 2008...” (electronicstakeback.com, Pg 3) This statistic shows that the amount of e-waste is not only growing, but it’s growing very rapidly. “...e-waste shows a higher growth rate than any other category of municipal waste in the EPA’s report.” This statistic again shows that e-waste is a very large growing issue, and is growing much more than many other similar waste-related issues, and that it should definitely be attended to and brought to the attention of people. Not only is e-waste becoming a more prominent, growing issue in society leads people to take a closer look at what effects it causes to make it an issue in the first place.
E-waste has a very negative effect on the environment and the human body, and unless they are recycled, they will continue to hinder the ability to have a cleaner Earth. “Cathode ray tubes in older TVs and computers typically contain about 4 lbs of lead...” (dosomething.org) Lead is very harmful to the environment, and having four pounds of it in a single old TV or computer can really add up. Lead slows the process of decomposition, kills or stunts the growth of plants, wipes out micro-organisms on the soil, and/or it affects the central nervous system of animals who have obtained lead poisoning from lead-infested plants. “Flat panel computer monitors and notebooks often contain a small amount of mercury in the bulbs used to light them.” (dosomething.org) If mercury gets into plants or into the water stream, humans can be susceptible to mercury poisoning. Mercury affects the central and peripheral nervous systems, can cause damage to an unborn child, and it may even affect the heart and circulatory system. The negative effects of e-waste prove that a solution is needed.
Due to the fact many people don’t know about e-waste (what it is and what it does), a plausible solution would be to raise awareness of the issue itself and provide information of where to recycle what. “It is interesting how little people know about how, what, when, and where to recycle or discard old items and waste.” (winona360.winona.edu) This statement is one of many that bluntly state how little people actually know about this topic. By raising awareness, people will actually know how to, where to, and what items to recycle or discard. People must first know the issue in order to fix it. “Manufacturers of computer monitors, television sets and other electronic devices containing hazardous materials must be responsible for educating consumers and the general public regarding the potential threat to public health and the environment posed by their products, and for raising awareness of the proper waste management protocol.” (cawrecycles.org) This statement says that manufacturers are to blame not citizens; I disagree. Along with the everyday citizen being uneducated about this matter, the manufacturers are equally at blame. Though the actions of the manufacturers cannot be regulated by us, the proper way of disposing of it can be made common knowledge. The solution to this problem is an easy thing to grasp, but actually applying it to our society is the real challenge.
The lack of knowledge on e-waste can lead to an economic crisis in the United States if all citizens attempted to dispose of electronics incorrectly. Countless harmful chemicals and materials are used to create these electronics, and the only way to preserve our environment is to raise awareness about this subject. People should care about this issue for one main reason: not caring will harm both our economy, and our environment.