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designed obsolescence
DRM
the sensitive electonics in the explosion of these person devices - mobile phones, mp3 players, ereaders - as well as more common electronics are made from minerals sourced from the Congo. The mines are commonly controlled by the rebel militias or the army, often worked under conditions of human rights abuses or just plain slave labour, and the profits fund their unending war.
the dubious recycling of these personal electronic devices (and ordinary computers it should be pointed out), if they're recycled at all and not just thrown into a landfill which is another issue all together, in China is also abhorrent: over a fire or hotplate with a grill placed over it the circuit boards are held so the solder melts and the parts shaken lose. This is done by hand and workers are directly inhaling the toxic fumes.
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This is how it will all end: not with floods, earthquakes, falling comets or gigantic crabs roaming the Earth. No, doomsday will start simply out of indifference.
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