Internetworkers: http://www.ibiblio.org/internetworkers/

[Childers.Paula AT epamail.epa.gov]

well, apparently, here is what happens to "old tech," and it ain't
pretty:

Computer dumping "polluting Asia":
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/sci/tech/newsid_1839000/1839997.stm

US Dumping e-waste in India, China:
http://infotech.indiatimes.com/news/feb/feb27/news03.html

Much toxic computer waste lands in Third World:
http://www.usatoday.com/life/cyber/tech/2002/02/25/computer-waste.htm

and so on.
"The growing amount of computer waste is becoming an increasing problem,
with millions of devices becoming obsolete each year as the technology
industry produces faster, better  and less expensive equipment.   While
there are recycling programmes in the US, campaigners say much of the
waste electronics finds it way to the developing
world.  The report suggested that as much as 80% of America's electronic
waste collected to be recycled is shipped out of the country.
"Everybody knows this is going on, but they  are just embarrassed and
don't really know  what to do about it," said Ted Smith, head of the
Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition, which also helped prepare the new
report. "They would just prefer to ignore it." "

Sometimes tech isn't all it's cracked up to be.
Paula the lurker



Now, if MS discourages institutions from accepting donated computers,
this
does bring up another question: what to do with those millions of
computers
that were built and sold during the 80's and 90's and are now hopelessly
obsolete? .... what will happen to all of that hopelessly
obsolete equipment that is cluttering up your closet in a few years, a
decade or several decades down the road? My closet is already full of
old
junk, and I just don't have room in it for one more generation of
computer
stuff. Are we going to eventually have computer junkyards littering the
countryside or outskirts of town like we have automobile junkyards
today?
What about the environmentally hazardous materials inside the computers
(lead solder, batteries, etc.)? Has there been a discussion on this
subject
here in the past before I joined, and if so, any good suggestions?

- Bill