Impact of E-Waste on People - Essay Example

E-wastes The world faces a crisis, one that significantly affects our health and subsequently threatening our survival. While seeking for solutions to the problems that affect us as human beings, we have created a new crisis, which finding a solution is unlikely. The increased production of consumer goods, coupled with the increased level of consumption has led to an increase in the level of toxic wastes dumped in the environment. This is the main crisis facing the world currently, as disposing off this waste is the biggest problem. Regardless of the efforts by some individuals in reducing the level of e-wastes, it is unlikely that such efforts will solve the problem. E-waste, described as electronic products nearing their useful life is one of the biggest concerns for the environmentalists. Although the term e-waste describes electronic products near their useful life, some of the environmentalists use the term to describe a number of by-products and wastes dumped in the environment. According to Leonard (film), e-waste is any material dumped into the environment and has a negative effect to the environment or negatively affects the health of the people. Any by-product of the manufacturing process such as toxic fumes and wastes dumped into rivers and the soil as well as the unwanted products that consumers dispose of, whether obsolete or useless, according to Leonard (film) is e-waste. This generalization thus encompasses a number of by-products regarded as e-wastes to the environment. Since e-wastes do not decompose, they contribute to the biggest crisis facing human beings in this era (Reinhardt web). Although there are efforts to recycle them, not all of these wastes are recyclable. As such, the only way that people can solve the problem is by reducing the amount of wastes produced and dumped into the environment. This however, unlikely if the system of manufacturing products to the disposal of the unwanted products is anything to go by. There are different sources of e-wastes. Although the most common and obvious source of e-waste is the damaged and obsolete electronic wastes from consumers, there are other sources of e-waste in the environment. The process that starts with the extraction of raw materials, manufacturing, and distribution significantly contributes to the high level of e-wastes in our environment. Different factors contribute to the increased amount of e-wastes in the environment. Although most of the studies concentrate on the effects of dumped e-wastes as the main contributing factors to the e-wastes, Leonard (film) includes all the stages involved in the product life cycle. As Leonard argues, “in the past decade, the world has used at least one third of the total natural resources”, which portrays a danger in waiting. While the third world countries do not take part in the high level of manufacturing, developed countries such as the united states, after extensively using their natural resources have resulted to the developing countries for raw materials. This balances the level of resources consumption in the world. The manufacturing process is yet another stage that significantly contributes to the high level of e-wastes in the environment. As the process involves the use of toxics, these contribute to the high number of toxic wastes released to the environment. The manufacturing process waste people too as they work in the highly toxic environments. They inhale the fumes from the production process, which contributes to the high levels of cancer diseases. Moreover, the production process releases fumes into the environment as well as effluents that are by-products of the manufacturing process. However, the increased culture of consumerism the world has adopted in the recent past contributes to the high level of e-wastes dumped in the environment. According to Leonard, “an average us person consumes twice as much as they consumed 50 years ago,” yet there is no way of changing this culture of consumerism in the society. the designing of the system, which took place after the second world war focused on the means of increasing the level of consumption of the people. This was the only way that corporations and governments could generate more incomes. To achieve this target, policy makers decided on two ways of increasing the level of consumerism of the people, planned obsolescence, and perceived obsolescence. Planned obsolescence sees to produce products with a short lifecycle. The design of the products is done in such a way that when one of the essential parts wears out, it impossible to replace the part. Subsequent generations of the machine have differently designed parts, which renders the machine useless. Thus, instead of replacing the worn out part, a consumer will have to replace the entire machine. This increases the number of e-wastes in the environment. Perceived obsolescence however, does not render machines and products useless. Rather, perceived obsolescence takes the advantage of the bandwagon effect to increase the level of consumerism in the society. Different manufacturers produce different generations of products, with better features, more beautiful and sleeker than the precedent models (Lundgren 14). For instance, most computers, electronics such as television sets and clothes have different generations, and people want to own the recent models that are more beautiful and better features (Ubrina web). Subsequently, people dispose of the current models they use, thus contributing to the high level of e-wastes in the environment. Thus, the system makes people high consumers, working to buy products meant to increase their level of happiness. Although different people and corporations have taken the in initiative to reduce the level of pollution through e-wastes, these efforts cannot fully solve the problem. For instance, some companies seek to recycle the e-wastes. However, not all of these wastes are recyclable. By recycling only the recyclable products renders the unrecyclable wastes as e-wastes. Burying these wastes further contributes to the increased level of toxicity in the soil, rendering it unproductive (Lundgren 13). Further, burning of these wastes releases toxics into the environment, contributing to high cases of cancer and acid rain in the environment. Regardless of the various arguments raised against the means available to eliminate e-wastes in the environment, these efforts are worthwhile. In fact, organizations especially manufacturing corporations, being the biggest contributors to the high level of e-wastes should take responsibility of the e-wastes (Ubrina web). This is the only way that we could save the earth from the crisis. Understanding that it is impossible to eliminate e-wastes could significantly contribute to the reduced amount of e-wastes dumped in the environment. The best way of solving the crisis is by reducing the level of e-wastes in the environment. The efforts of a few individuals significantly contribute to the reduced level of e-wastes emitted to the environment. Although the impact would have been bigger if all stakeholders took part in the struggle, the time and money spent by a few individuals is worthwhile in saving the worlds from the impending danger. Others are likely to learn from the efforts of these individuals, thus joining in the fight. However, if nobody was to take the initiative of protecting the environment through the reduction, there would be no examples to emulate, thus maintaining the status quo, of a careless world. Works Cited Leonard, Anne. The story of stuff. 2009. Film. Lundgren, Karin. The global impact of e-waste: Addressing the challenge. International labour organization. 2012. Web. 11 December 2013 http://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---ed_dialogue/---sector/documents/publication/wcms_196105.pdf  Reinhardt, Uwe E. Waste vs. Value in American Health Care. New York Times, September 13, 2013. Web. 11 December 2013 http://economix.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/09/13/waste-vs-value-in-american-health-care/ Ubrina, Ian. Unwanted Electronic Gear Rising in Toxic Piles. New York Times, March 18, 2013. Web 11 December 2013 http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/19/us/disposal-of-older-monitors-leaves-a-hazardous-trail.html?_r=0 Read More