The Dump
By Sean Elezovic
E-waste, the digital dump, is a process in which manufacturers of electronics produce products that are projected to be timeworn within a small amount of time. An exquisite example is the constant cell phone upgrades available; from the plain, block-like cellular devices of the 80’s, to the touch screen generation of today, cell phones have a very small life span. After these life cycles come to pass, the electronics in question are disposed of. Well, how? Certainly mercury, among other potent chemicals used in cell phones, laptops, and flat screens cannot be disposed of as easily as say, a broken lamp, right? Well, the corporate mongers seem to think so. Through cost effective strategies, they envelop communities in China, India, Niger, to just name a few, and dispose of their “dirty laundry” onto these unsuspecting, worldly neighbors.
The simpletons that find cheap work in these aforementioned communities are unaware of the hazards of physically destroying electronic junk to filter out the worthwhile fortune resting in the midst of the wreckage. The toxins are then released upon the very air they breathe, not to mention the chemicals’ chance of pouring out onto the workers’ skin is superbly high. What can be done about these atrocious work conditions and careless manners of disposal? Distributive Justice makes sense in that these burdens of chemicals should be equally disbursed. Not just China, Niger, and India should take the full throttle effect of these toxic electronic components, but Europe, the Americas, and Oceania should partake too!
To receive Distributive Justice, though, Procedural Justice has to start occurring for the gears to start running. These tycoons that feel no sympathy, and surely no empathy, need to get a stern lecture. A sit down is needed, so that the mediating process can begin and the tycoons, if not willingly, then forcibly, will come to terms with this digital dumping and its negative effects on associations around the globe. Saturation & Least-Resistance Strategy commandeers a plan with the least amount of obstacles and problems for a collective bargaining ploy. This cuts out time we don’t have to respond to the alarming rate of pollution to Gaia. This leads us to Restorative Justice; a form of offender accountability, that is used as leverage into receiving more than just an apology. This is quintessential to put the fear of God back into these do-as-you-please fellows whom seem to suffer from egocentric megalomania. These corporate powerhouses with their impending loss of their beloved delusions of grandeur and frightening repercussions that await them quickly offer up services, clean up messes, among other sympathetic actions to please: the poisoned, sick, and suffering many from the high amount of poor waste management. The Saturation & Least-Resistance Strategy should reduce waste if everything can go according to plan, but realistically is that even possible? A new plan has to be put in motion so that we can at least make the attempt to find out, but before any of the later stages of this brainstorm can take place, the hands of the guilty have to be forced for an effect to take place in the first place. Recognition Justice simply isn’t enough. One person does make a difference but how far does that really go if you do not coerce the villain into acting? Is the Principle of Commensurability awakened in only a few worldwide or are we ready for a bright, reinvigorating, new world order? “Ethical theory considers, among other things, the responsibilities each one of us has toward others and the rights we possess that others must not encroach upon.” Is this a relative close cousin to the Principle of Commensurability that Summers’ reading refers to? Do most denizens of earth have the drive to commit to an Earth Day, every day? Recognition Justice shouldn’t be taken lightly, however. It is a process where more individuals are needed to take notice and needed to take place for a movement to begin, but who says earth isn’t ready? A “Green” movement, involving more options for the consumer without unnecessary chemicals such as mercury is pertinent to a better tomorrow. The more, the merrier in supporting and voicing a healthier assembly of our electronics. Rally the troops, multiply, infect others with the needed willpower to overcome the odds. The corporations with greed in their eyes and dollar signs in their bellies are definitely to blame, but the blame game will not resolve a thing. It takes desire too.
Other than the previously mentioned types of justice, the next one has been adamant for more than just a while—Environmental Justice, which is the type of reparation that prevents unfair acts of prejudice against poorer communities to occur. Environmental Justice can be easily kept up with if the “Green” picketing continues. Why should the “little guy” be forced to suffer as opposed to well off communities? An instance easily remembered was the February winter storm in North Texas of ’11. In the wake of the Superbowl in Arlington, TX, blackouts were needed to supplement just enough power for people to function routinely about the house through the frozen over generators. An environmental injustice took place in that many poorer communities such as: Terrell, Garland, and Lewisville were bombarded with more blackout time than powered on. Whereas the richer communities of: Plano, Frisco, and Arlington remained powered on for more than half of an hour--a truly remarkable coincidence? Or was it unfair play? Why don’t we ask Jerry Jones? He is a man who used his affluence to keep the lights on at Cowboys Stadium throughout the whole ordeal. A stadium with no players, or games, or fans, just the media, and they were allowed power over the spoiling food of a not-so-well-endowed, single mom of two in Mesquite. “Poorer citizens may very well be drawn to lower property values, and more affluent citizens may enjoy even greater mobility in moving away from burdens before experiencing the loss of property value and self-esteem.” This was the quote of a written assessment made by writer Figueroa. It shows how the less than fortunate have to suffer while the richer neighborhoods reap the benefits. Why did the suburbs of Dallas see such a high range of discrimination against stereotyped residencies? Only the electric companies and their providers can answer that. The rest of us are just meant to speculate on what happened and what keeps happening in commonwealths across the nation.
The Toxic Waste and Race in the U.S. has reached a twenty-fourth year, and is still up and running. It remains a constant reminder of our highest polluters to date. The EPA has always guaranteed to keep the highest standard of protection against any hazardous materials or chemicals from polluting our streets and jobs—which would include poorer suburbs like the ones mentioned earlier. They are doing everything that is in their power to keep these major corporations from downsizing spending and leaving all of the clean up to the consumer. Their itch they want scratched is a halt to the constant Moore’s Law of incoming technological advances ousting their obsolete compatriots in a matter of months which ultimately drops tons of unneeded waste on nations worldwide. Superfund Sites are the locations these toxic dumps of waste lay. NIMBY is a pejorative of substance used to denote the true distaste citizens on high “Green Alert” show to proposed new toxic plans for their beloved community. Silicon Valley didn’t know what they were getting themselves into way back when. Other locales ought to know better by now. Even though a community may be small, poor, or unknown to the public eye, it does not mean they should allow themselves to be bullied by the “fat cats” that seem to do as they please. Not In My Back Yard has been fairly effective in repelling unwanted factories, chemical plants, and other polluting firms from their respective communities. Some see it as a blessing that a new building that offers employment is coming soon to their area but these are the individuals that have unfortunately not been properly educated on the issue. It is not about money, it is about health. Most of the factory workers that make computers and TV’s become deathly ill to the point of no return and eventually die. Bringing home the bacon from such a high level of toxicity in a lethal environment will be hazardous to anyone’s health. It is not worth the trouble, no matter how much they pay. Can a check really be worth the loss loved one’s will endure? Tell that to the sea of people that have gone through such an ordeal and see how you feel then.
The basic narrative to digital dumping is one of a sorrowful overtone with hopelessness attached to it. It is unnecessary to abdicate the true power every one of us has—the power to overcome smog, chemical wastelands, ill-fates of factory workers, and even corporate takeovers. The only thing keeping any one of us from success is our own prerogative. Keep that in mind as you take your next step to class or work and you walk by an individual on their cell phone, knowing that it is only a matter of months before Moore’s Law kicks in and that the very cell phone you glanced over at will be wasting away in another Superfund Site.
She showed me around, and introduced me to every feral, farm, and potbellied pig in the sanctuary. She knew every story for each pig. The story that moved me the most, was about a pig named Trooper. Surrendered by his owners to an animal shelter, he was brought in with a rope that had been tied around his leg since he was a small pig. With this rope, he was tied to a tree for years. Terry made the trip to the animal shelter, and on the way back had to work to keep his body temperature regulated since it was such a hot summer. Before they had even made it back, a portion of his leg fell off and was held by on by just a tendon because of the lack of circulation from the rope that hindered him for most of his life. Despite getting her vet out as soon as was possible, Trooper passed away. I couldn't help but grieve for Terry as she told the tale, you could tell the situation had troubled her deeply. How could people be so cruel? The worst part is that since the owners had turned Trooper in, they were exempt from any animal negligence charges that they may have received if he was actually confiscated from them. Francione compares the ownership and exploitation of animals as property to slavery. While this can be true to an extent, in the case of Trooper, he was treated more like a prisoner in solitary confinement than a slave, which is arguably a worse fate. The most heartbreaking part of this story was when Terry uttered the words, "He never even had the chance to spend just one day as a happy pig." According to Singer and Mason, in the west, we tend to privilege certain species over others, however, "there is no distinction that can be made between humans and animals that would not require either including other species or excluding certain humans." Until we see that all animals (humans included) have the right to be treated with dignity and respect, animals will continue to suffer at our expense.
