Our E-Waste Problem

Many of us have gotten used to the idea of keeping up with new technology by buying new computers, cellphones, and other electronic gadgets and getting rid of the old. But trashing our old electronics creates lots of new problems, for instance exporting our lead- and mercury-filled machines to poor countries where they are "recycled" by people who have access to little or no protective clothing and releasing those toxins into the air and water. While some chemicals are used in smaller amounts in newer machines, the problem still lingers. States like California and Maine are creating their own computer recycling programs, but it seems up to us consumers to pressure the companies who create our computers to set up their own recycling programs and force them to deal with the problem.

Find out if your computer company has a recycling program, and learn more about e-waste here.