E-Waste and Climate Change

Another Solution for E-Waste: Aiming for Zero Waste
One of the fastest and cheapest ways to combat climate change is expanding reuse, recycling and composting programs. Stop Trashing the Climate, a new report published by the Institute for Local Self Reliance, GAIA, and Eco-Cycle, shows that if we significantly decreased waste in landfills and incinerations we could save just as much energy as improving fuel efficiency standards in cars.

The zero waste approach includes composting, product redesign, and manufacturer product responsibility. According to Brenda Platt, from the Institute for Local Self Reliance, “On a per-ton basis, recycling sustains ten times the number of jobs as landfills and incinerators. The 3R’s – Reduce, Reuse, Recycle – are as relevant today as they were when first introduced in the 1970s.” The Institute is joined by the Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives and Eco-Cycle as producers of this intriguing newly published report.

> Stop Trashing the Climate Report

EPA Calculator Shows Energy Savings From Recycling/Reuse
The EPA has developed a calculator, the WARM Calculator (Waste Reduction Model) that allows us to calculate the benefits (in terms of greenhouse gas emissions) of recycling and reuse. The WARM calculator works for various waste categories, including Personal Computers. While the Calculator needs some further development and updating, it’s a good start for showing the benefits of recycling.

> WARM Calculator

Flat Screen TV’s Trigger Global Warming
Rising demand for flat-screen televisions could have a greater impact on global warming than the world's largest coal-fired power stations. Manufacturers use a greenhouse gas called nitrogen trifluoride to make the televisions, and as the sets have become more popular, annual production of the gas has risen to about 4,000 tons. As a driver of global warming, nitrogen trifluoride is 17,000 times more potent than carbon dioxide, yet no one knows how much of it is being released into the atmosphere by the industry.

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