Name Recitation Number Discussion Prep Four Commodity Chain Analysis This discussion prep needs to be completed for recitation the week of October 10th It is adapted from pg 115 of your textbook The contemporary economy produces increasing masses of e waste computer monitors processors cell phones televisions and other electronic goods that while often still functional are thrown away or occasionally recycled Such e waste typically become hazardous as they contain mercury and other heavy metals that enter waterways ecosystems and impact human health The U S Environmental Protection Agency reports that Americans trash two million tons of unwanted electronics each year six times the amount they recycle As you watched in class in the Frontline story Ghana Digital Dumping Ground the distribution of e wastes is not equal around the world and often puts many people at risk in poor countries and communities far from the place where the original electronic product was purchased and used A political economy approach to the problem of e waste includes 1 an insistence that the planned obsolescence of electronic products is not accidental but an essential part of the system 2 that the unequal dumping of e waste in poor countries is also an important part of the capitalist system and 3 that the very production consumption and disposal of electronic products unevenly distributes environmental costs For recitation this week be prepared to talk about e waste and the commodity chain linked to one of your favorite electronics Chose one of their favorite electronic items computer phone ipod ipad And then answer the following questions to your best ability You may need to search around online to answer some of these questions and you should make note of where you found the answers and how long it took you You will spend time in recitation discussing what you found with other students and mapping out the commodity chain from production to disposal of your everyday favorite e toy PART I Map the commodity chain of your favorite electronic 1 What product did you chose 2 Where was the product made This includes where the company is based and where it outsources labor 1 3 Where did different parts for the product come from This includes any metals material as well as products produced by other companies e g batteries motherboard which are inside the product hint you can work backwards as in I know there is copper here where does most of the copper come from 4 Imagine you need to get rid of your product new 2012 models are coming out and would like to recycle it here in Boulder Spend some time online to find out if and how this is possible where do you need to go Will it cost How long did it take you to find this out Part II Reflect on the political economy of electronics and e waste 1 What was surprising to you about this exercise Disturbing 2 What are the tendencies of a capitalist system that make e waste necessary hint why did you need to buy a new product Why would your waste get shipped abroad 3 What sort of environmental justice issues may arise from the production and disposal of electronics 2
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