28 megabytes later
Not only did the virus make everyone into mindless cannibals, they got all crazy, went on shopping sprees, then started shipping all of our old DVD players to the 2/3rds World, too.
Toronto Star, via UN Newswire:
Have you ever wondered what became of your VHS player? How about that old computer with the black and green monitor, or your first cellphone that was the size of a loaf of bread?
With people constantly upgrading their computers, TVs and cellphones, electronic waste, or e-waste, has quickly become the fastest growing component of solid waste. Compounding the problem, e-waste is often extremely toxic.
Despite international agreements that prohibit the import and export of hazardous waste, shipments of broken electronic devices continue to pour into the harbours of Kenya, India and China.
The reason is strictly financial. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates it's up to 10 times cheaper to export e-waste than to dispose of it domestically.
Mercury, barium, lead and cadmium are just a few of the dangerous elements that can be found in discarded devices. Many more toxic materials are used in the salvaging process that recovers the gold, silver, copper and other valuable metals found in computers, cellphones and TVs.
Harper's chewed on the possibility of a no-growth future in last month's book review section (pdf), an idea economists (some economists, at least) seem ready to entertain.
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