Curfew Log III: Home E-Waste Cleanup and Donation

E-Waste is electronic waste. Due to the rapid advancement in technology and the production of new and improved electronic devices each year, the amount of E-Waste is increasing. In terms of my family, we produce a significant amount of E-Waste. Since both my parents are computer scientists, having and learning how to use a laptop or computer was very important from a young age. Thus, over the years, our E-Waste has been piling up.
Due to the ongoing curfew, I was required to seek new opportunities to fulfill my CAS requirements and engage in something to pass the time. So I decided to fix up our old electronic devices and give them to people who would like to use them. 

After scanning every corner of my house for all of the old electronic devices we had previously discarded, I separated out which ones were working and which were not. Fortunately, many of the devices were still working with only a few of them needing repairs. Following some long-awaited updates on the laptops and phones, I was able to clean out and give a few phones to people that needed them. Presently, I am in the process of going through files and cleaning all of the laptops. 
As a Geography student, seeing the total E-Waste my family has produced over the years made me aware of the growing issue of E-Waste disposal. According to WHO, the primitive disposal method of burning E-Waste causes many health hazards in adults and children. The inhalation of toxins produced in the burning of these materials can cause irreversible damage to one’s body.
However, by raising awareness and communicating on the negative impact of E-Waste and how to manage its increase, the issue of E-Waste can be reduced. At a domestic level, I think the best method to help with this growing issue is to recycle, give back your used electronic devices to its respective company, or donate. Henceforth, I am planning to donate or recycle all of my E-Waste and be more aware of the E-Waste my family and I produce and strive to make my surrounding friends and family members dispose of E-Waste correctly.
Not only did this make me more aware of the issue of E-Waste, but it also allowed me to provide devices for people who needed them. Since I am unable to participate in my regular service group Hope for Kids, donating my home E-Waste makes me happy and also relieves my stress and anger.

Learning Outcomes

• Demonstrate engagement with issues of global significance

Seeing the significant amount of E-Waste produced at my house, made me more aware of the growing issue of E-Waste and its negative impacts.

• Recognize and consider the ethics of choices and actions

After doing this, I realized how my family and I haven’t been handling our E-Waste correctly and I will seek to find better ways to dispose of our E-Waste.

• Demonstrate how to initiate and plan a CAS experience

Before donating my old electronic devices, I identified the discarded devices in my house and then cleaned and updated them before finding people to give them to. 

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References: https://www.who.int/activities/raising-awareness-on-e-waste-and-children-s-health
Featured Image:  https://www.ewaste-expo.com/ghana-and-germany-continue-phase-two-of-e-waste-program/