Other e-cyling e-wareness campaigns
Free Geek isn’t the only organization working to reduce e-waste in the world (and I promise I’ll stop now with the e-breviations). Other campaigns have also been successful at bringing awareness to the general public. A few of them are highlighted below.AddressTheMess.com is actually sponsored by Comedy Central, the same channel that brings awareness to social issues through the comedic antics of The Daily Show and The Colbert Report. AddressTheMess.com brings a similar sort of satiric but serious look at the issue, such as in a bit entitled “Electronics Roadshow,” where the hosts have an appraisal session and explain to their guests that their old technology is worth nothingso why not recycle it?Electronics TakeBack Coalition treats not only the symptoms, but the problem itself. In addition to different electronic recycling options, the organization promotes redesigning electronics to green standards. The group was responsible for getting Dell to start its product-takeback program in 2006. ETC campaigns at both the company and state-level to promote education and awareness.Silicon Valley Toxics Coaliton is based in San Jose, California, but has a global focus. In 2008, they produced a documentary called Citizens at Risk which shows how electronic waste affects both the workers who handle it and the countries where it has historically been transported. Employees from all fields (including law enforcement, environmentalists, and electronics workers) make up the committee, which was founded in 1982 after historic e-waste leaks in the Valley were suspected of causing health problems.