Recycling to Stop E-waste | Kady McKenna | TEDxYouth@ElliotStreet

Summary

The speaker recounts their personal journey with electronic devices, highlighting the growing issue of e-waste. They founded e-treasure Incorporated, a non-profit aiming to recycle, refurbish, and redistribute electronic devices, reducing environmental impact. The script also addresses the global health crisis caused by improper e-waste disposal, particularly in impoverished nations, and introduces the e-treasure school leaders program to bridge the digital divide and empower students through technology.

Takeaways

• 📱 The speaker has owned 13 electronic devices since their first one, emphasizing the prevalence of technology in modern life.
• 👶 Born in 2009, the speaker received their first iPad before their first birthday, highlighting the early integration of electronics in children's lives.
• 📚 The average U.S. household has over 25 connected devices, according to Deloitte's Mobile Connectivity Trends survey 2021, illustrating the ubiquity of electronics.
• 🗑 E-Waste is identified as the fastest-growing waste problem globally, with over 50 million tons generated annually, equivalent to 1,000 laptops per second.
• 💡 The idea for e-treasure, Incorporated was sparked by a realization about the environmental impact of discarded electronics and the lack of action to address it.
• 🌐 e-treasure, Incorporated is a 501c3 non-profit organization aimed at recycling, refurbishing, and redistributing electronic devices to reduce e-waste.
• 🏫 The speaker initiated collection drives at schools and created online platforms to gather donations of old electronic devices for recycling.
• 🔒 The importance of securely erasing personal information from recycled devices is emphasized, with certified electronics recyclers ensuring data privacy.
• ♻️ The script discusses the harmful effects of improper e-waste recycling, including the exposure of workers to toxic chemicals and the environmental impact.
• 🌍 It points out the issue of developed countries illegally shipping e-waste to impoverished nations, causing severe health and environmental crises.
• 📚 The e-treasure school leaders program encourages students to start collection drives at their schools, promoting environmental awareness and community service.
• 🔗 The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the digital divide, with e-treasure, Incorporated's efforts aiming to bridge this gap by providing devices for online learning.

Q & A

How many electronic devices has the speaker personally owned since their first?

The speaker has personally owned 13 electronic devices since their first.

What was the first electronic device the speaker received as a gift?

The first electronic device the speaker received was an iPad for Christmas when they were less than a year old.

What is the average number of connected devices per U.S. household according to Deloitte's Mobile Connectivity Trends survey 2021?

The average U.S. household holds over 25 connected devices and more than two TVs.

What is the term used for discarded electronic devices?

Discarded electronic devices are referred to as E-Waste or electronic waste.

How does the Environmental Protection Agency describe the growth rate of E-Waste globally?

The Environmental Protection Agency states that E-Waste is the fastest-growing waste problem in the world.

What is the approximate annual generation of E-Waste in tons, according to the EPA?

People generate over 50 million tons of E-Waste every year.

What is the estimated worth of the E-Waste generated annually?

The annual E-Waste is approximately worth between 300,000 to 3 million US dollars.

What inspired the speaker to start thinking about the issue of E-Waste?

The speaker was inspired to think about E-Waste while discussing resource use wisely during a Girl Scouts meeting when they were six years old.

What is the name of the non-profit organization the speaker started to address E-Waste?

The non-profit organization the speaker started is called e-treasure Incorporated.

What is the main goal of e-treasure Incorporated?

The main goal of e-treasure Incorporated is to recycle, refurbish, and redistribute electronic devices back into the community to keep the environment free of E-Waste.

What is the average time a cell phone user in the U.S. upgrades their phone according to CEO Today?

The average cell phone user in the U.S. upgrades their phone every 22 months.

What is the e-treasure school leaders program and what is its purpose?

The e-treasure school leaders program is an initiative to encourage students to start collection drives at their schools, aiming to make a measurable impact on the environment and bridge the digital divide.

How does the speaker suggest we can turn e-trash into e-treasure?

The speaker suggests that by recycling, refurbishing, and redistributing electronic devices, we can turn e-trash into e-treasure that can change lives and help bridge the digital divide.

What is the digital divide and why is it significant in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic?

The digital divide refers to the socio-economic gap between populations with unequal access to digital connectivity. It is significant in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic because it highlights the disparity in access to online learning and digital resources.

Outlines

00:00

📱 The Impact of E-Waste on Society and Environment

The speaker recounts their personal experience with electronic devices, highlighting the rapid growth of e-waste as a global issue. They mention their first encounter with an iPad as a child and the subsequent accumulation of electronic devices, leading to the realization of the scale of e-waste. The Environmental Protection Agency is cited to emphasize the urgency of e-waste, which is described as the fastest-growing waste problem worldwide. The narrative introduces the concept of e-treasure, Inc., a non-profit organization aimed at recycling, refurbishing, and redistributing electronic devices to mitigate e-waste. The speaker's initiative to collect e-waste through school drives and the importance of certified electronics recyclers in securely erasing personal data and responsibly managing e-waste are also discussed.

05:02

🌏 Addressing the E-Waste Challenge and Its Global Impact

This paragraph delves into the specifics of e-waste collection and the subsequent steps taken by the speaker to sort and log the collected items. It addresses common concerns about personal data security during the recycling process and the importance of using certified electronics recyclers. The paragraph also touches on the hazardous materials found in electronic devices and the negative environmental and health impacts of improper e-waste disposal, particularly in impoverished nations. The speaker describes the conditions in e-waste dumps and the plight of child laborers involved in e-waste recycling, emphasizing the need for global action to prevent further harm. The e-treasure school leaders program is introduced as an initiative to engage students in e-waste collection and raise awareness about the issue.

10:02

🌐 Bridging the Digital Divide Through E-Waste Recycling

The final paragraph focuses on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the digital divide, highlighting the unequal access to digital devices for education. The speaker argues that recycling e-waste can help bridge this gap by providing devices to students in need. They call for collective action to transform e-trash into e-treasure, thereby promoting digital connectivity and educational equity. The speaker concludes with a call to action, encouraging individuals to consider the potential of their discarded devices to make a positive change in the world by supporting e-waste recycling initiatives.

Keywords

💡E-Waste

E-Waste refers to electronic products that are discarded or no longer wanted, such as cell phones, laptops, and tablets. It is a significant environmental concern due to the rapid obsolescence of electronic devices and the hazardous materials they contain. In the video, the speaker discusses the issue of e-waste and its impact on the environment, highlighting the need to recycle and repurpose these devices instead of disposing of them in landfills.

💡Connected Devices

Connected devices are electronic gadgets that can connect to the internet, allowing users to access information and communicate with others. The video mentions that the average U.S. household has over 25 connected devices, emphasizing the prevalence of technology in everyday life and the potential scale of e-waste generation.

💡Environmental Regulation

Environmental regulation refers to the rules and policies put in place to protect the environment and manage waste. The script mentions the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which is responsible for developing and enforcing environmental regulations, including those related to e-waste.

💡Recycling

Recycling is the process of collecting and processing materials that would otherwise be thrown away as trash and turning them into new products. In the context of the video, recycling is presented as a solution to the e-waste problem, allowing for the responsible disposal of electronic devices and the recovery of valuable materials.

💡Refurbish

Refurbishing refers to the process of restoring used or damaged items to a like-new condition. The video discusses refurbishing electronic devices as part of the solution to e-waste, suggesting that devices can be repaired and reused rather than discarded.

💡Digital Divide

The digital divide is the gap between those who have access to digital technology and those who do not, often due to socio-economic factors. The script highlights the issue of the digital divide, particularly in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, where access to devices for online learning became crucial.

💡Non-Profit

A non-profit organization is a group that operates without the primary goal of making a profit, often focusing on serving a public or social cause. The video introduces 'e-treasure Incorporated' as a 501c3 non-profit organization aimed at addressing the e-waste problem through recycling and redistribution of devices.

💡Collection Drive

A collection drive is an event or initiative where people are encouraged to donate items for a specific cause. In the script, the speaker describes starting collection drives at schools to gather e-waste for recycling and refurbishment.

💡Personal Information

Personal information refers to data that can be used to identify or contact an individual. The video discusses the importance of erasing personal information from electronic devices before they are recycled, to protect privacy and prevent data breaches.

💡Poisonous Chemicals

Poisonous chemicals are substances that can cause harm or death to living organisms. The script mentions that electronic devices contain hazardous chemicals, which can pose health risks to people involved in the informal recycling process, particularly in developing countries.

💡Global Health Crisis

A global health crisis refers to a situation where a health issue affects a large portion of the world's population and requires international attention and action. The video connects the improper handling of e-waste to a global health crisis, especially in areas where e-waste is illegally shipped and processed without proper safety measures.

Highlights

The speaker has personally owned 13 electronic devices since their first one.

The average U.S. household holds over 25 connected devices and more than two TVs.

E-Waste is the fastest-growing waste problem globally, with over 50 million tons generated annually.

E-Waste is worth between 300,000 to 3 million US dollars annually.

The speaker's initiative began at the age of six with a focus on recycling and resource conservation.

E-Treasure, Incorporated is a 501c3 non-profit organization founded by the speaker to address e-waste.

The organization recycles, refurbishes, and redistributes electronic devices to reduce e-waste.

The speaker collected e-waste by starting collection drives at schools and through social media.

Devices collected were often not old, reflecting the average U.S. cell phone upgrade cycle of every 22 months.

E-Treasure sorts and logs all collected items, ensuring personal data is erased by certified recyclers.

Consumer electronics contain hazardous chemicals and minerals, posing risks to global recycling workers.

Wealthy nations are accused of illegally shipping e-waste to impoverished nations, causing environmental and health crises.

The e-Treasure School Leaders program encourages students to start collection drives and earn service hours.

The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the digital divide, with over 11 million U.S. students lacking devices for online learning.

The speaker emphasizes turning e-trash into e-treasure to bridge the digital divide and provide educational access.

A call to action for individuals to consider the impact of their electronic devices and the potential for repurpose.

The speech concludes with a message of community empowerment and environmental preservation.

Transcripts

foreign

[Applause]

[Music]

think about it how many electronic

devices have you personally owned since

you're first for me the number is 13.

I love my phone and other devices such

as my laptop TV and my iPad

they keep me connected to my friends

my social network and the World At Large

I have practically grown up with a

device since birth

now I was born in 2009 and before I was

a year old I received my first iPad for

Christmas

when I was two I received a Hello Kitty

TV DVD combo

and by the time I was three I had broken

my first iPad and inherited two passed

down from my parents after they had

upgraded theirs

the following Christmas I received a

different brand of tablet now that may

sound a little excessive but that is

five electronic devices that I

personally used before the age of four

did you know that according to

deloitte's mobile connectivity Trends

survey 2021 that the average U.S

household holds over 25 connected

devices and more than two TVs

so that begs the question

what happens to all of this stuff after

it breaks well

there's a name for it

E-Waste E-Waste or electronic waste the

afterlife of our cell phone's laptop

tablets and other consumer electronic

devices after they've been tossed in the

trash and as you've probably guessed by

now there is a lot of it

according to the EPA the Environmental

Protection Agency the federal agency in

charge of development and enforcement of

environmental regulation States

that E-Waste is the fastest growing

waste problem in the entire world

people generate over 50 million tons of

this waste every single year

which is equivalent to throwing away 1

000 laptops every second

and is approximately worth 300 000 to 3

million US dollars

now when I was four years old I wasn't

really worried about you waste I was

more worried about not dropping my iPad

and breaking it again

but

by the time I was six

I was a girl scout daisy learning about

all the ways I can make the world a

better place

as a matter of fact one day in March

2015 I was driving home in the car with

my mom who also happened to be my troop

leader

we were both thinking hard about the

lesson that we had learned that day in

our meeting

the topic of the day was using resources

wisely we learned about recycling paper

and plastic

but

as my tiny year old as my tiny

six-year-old hands gripped my iPad

a thought popping to my head

where do all of old iPads go when they

break

where do you keep your old electronics

my mom answered my question by telling

me that we normally just shove this

stuff into a kitchen drawer in our home

were eventually that drawer get full and

we would just throw these devices in the

trash they would ultimately end up in a

landfill

who knows what a landfill is with a show

of hands

a landfill

is a large mound of dirt and trash

churned into the Earth to help the

decomposition of the waste

and that's when I had the thought that

would change my life

was I the only one thinking about this

issue

was anybody else doing anything to stop

this

unfortunately the answer was no that

moment was the beginning of e-treasure

Incorporated

e treasure Incorporated is the 501c3

non-profit charitable organization

that I started off of the idea

that rather than throwing our consumer

electronic devices away

we can recycle refurbish and

redistribute these devices back into our

community and keep our environment free

of e-waste

I immediately went to work

first I purchased some large plastic

bins

to begin collecting E-Waste I started

collection drives at my school and other

schools around the area

second my mom helped me create a

Facebook page and website and we started

asking everyone I knew to donate their

old broken and unwanted electronic

devices to the collection drives that I

was hosting

at first I was even surprised to see

that a lot of the devices I was

collecting were not even that old did

you know that according to CEO today the

average cell phone user in the U.S

upgrades their cell phone every 22

months I mean you know the drill the

newest fanciest cell phone comes out and

people start lining up for the upgrade

but my collection Drive was a huge

success

I collected computers printers TVs I

think I even collected an old school

alarm clock but

all sorts of electronics you name it I

collected it

The Next Step was to sort these

Electronics

I first put all the phones in one bin

all the laptops and computers into

another and so on

The Next Step was to log these items I

made sure to log the brand and weight of

each of the items that I collected to

carefully track my progress

now the most commonly question that I'm

asked by donors is

you're going to erase all of my personal

information off of this right

well

the answer is yes but I began

researching certified Electronics

recyclers in my area

the epa's list of certified Electronics

recyclers includes only the most

responsible recyclers in charge of

managing unwanted e-waste

this includes erasing any and all

personal information that may be left on

these devices by first isolating all

hard drives and cell phones into a scrub

room before being sent out for

dismantling and recycling of these

Electronics

yeah

now our beloved consumer electronics

contain poisonous amounts of chemicals

and minerals

this may not be harmful to me and U.S

consumers but it is very harmful to the

people who are recycling these and this

is happening all over the world right

now according to the UN a cathode ray

tube TV the type of TVs used before flat

screens were invented

can contain up to eight pounds of lead

according to the Washington Post

the guardian CNN and many other news

outlets

wealthy industrialized nations

specifically in North America and Europe

are illegally shipping their unwanted

E-Waste to impoverish Nations around the

world such as Ghana Nigeria and parts of

China India and Pakistan

in Ghana's capital city which used to be

a lush manga of swamp

is now home to one of the world's

largest E-Waste dumps

every single day

young workers weighed through the Sea of

electronics searching for gold copper

and other minerals that they can melt

down and sell

the plastic sheath on wires is often

burned off causing a putrid toxic cloud

above these dumps

the World Health Organization has made a

global call for help to stop this Global

Health crisis as over 18 million

children are actively working in or

living near these dump sites

young children are often preferred in

E-Waste recycling because they're small

hands can pick out the minerals in these

devices much easier than mine and yours

even if the child is healthy

the pollution that this waste is causing

to our air ground and Water Supplies can

permanently damage their organs and

overall personal development

now

ever since I started e-treasure

Incorporated my goal has always been to

make a measurable impact on the

environment that is why I started the

e-treasure school leaders program

to encourage students to start

collection drives at their own schools

while earning their required service

hours and you can do it too

since each treasure has been a part of

my life since I was just six years old

I do not think the work that I do and

the work that we can do together has

ever been more important than it is now

the covid-19 pandemic shined a light on

the digital divide

the digital divide is the socio-economic

gap

between the populations unequal access

to digital connectivity

according to research at Stanford

University over 11 million students in

the U.S go without a device for online

learning

technology changes the educational

experience for a student and makes them

feel connected and empowered as they

learn

by turning e-trash into e-rezure we can

create a world where digital

connectivity is the norm and all

students have access to the devices that

they need to learn and thrive

so

the next time that you glance down at

your tablet

you power on your computer

and you turn on your TV

I ask you to think to yourself

are you going to throw this device away

when you no longer want or need it

or

will you turn your very own e-trash into

an e-treasure that can possibly be

rediscovered and change a life

by working together

we can help the community

and save our planet

thank you

[Applause]

[Music]