(Legenda) Pablo Handl and Terra Boa composters
Yesterday, I visited The Hub-SP, and learned that in addition to being a collaborative entrepreneur, Pablo Handl also has a very nice eco-enterprise called Rio-Sol Eco-opportunities. The company was incubated within the Artemisia Foundation, which promotes the construction of social business models; its first product is a composter that can be used in apartments: the Terra Boa.
The system is free and very easy to use at home. Three resistant and stackable plastic boxes transform all of the organic waste by using select earthworms to digest the waste.
Each Terra Boa composter has 1 box to collect the animal fat (with a faucet, at the bottom) and two digestive boxes. The main digestive box has a thin layer of humus and select earthworms that transform the organic waste deposited in the box into good soil, or terra boa in Portuguese. You can lay some dry leaves or shredded paper on top of the organic residues, and close the lid. In another expanded ceramic box, you can add humus and continue the process when the first one is full. The decomposition of this material generates leachate (a liquid byproduct of the decomposition). The leachate is practically and cleanly stored in the collecting box, and can be used to fertilize your plants.
The small set, shown in the photo above, costs R$ 250. It is ideal for families of up to 4 people. Orders can be placed by e-mail.: ecooportunidades [@] gmail.com
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A good option is to donate them to philanthropic institutions, such as senior citizen homes or to impoverished youth. Some manufacturers will take back their equipment. This is the case with Dell, which sends computers in good working conditions to community centers. The Pensamento Digital Foundation, in Porto Alegre, and the Computer Museum, in Sao Paulo, accept donations of computers, keyboards and mouses, among other things, and some NGOs and recycling companies, such as Sucata EletrĂ´nica, in Sao Paulo, buy televisions, computers, cell phones, printers, digital cameras and even electrical fences.
At the www.cempre.org.br website, you can find a list of companies that buy used equipment. Cell phone batteries can be taken to a carriers’ store or given to the manufacturer’s authorized service support network.
*Full version of the article written in collaboration with Bruna Menegueço, reporter, published in Gestão Empresarial magazine.
Read this post at the Guindaste blog: How to dispose of electronics?
1. Research
It’s important to find out if the manufacturer is concerned about the environment and if they will accept used parts for recycling, when the device is no longer in use.
2. Extend
You don’t need to get a new cell phone every year or to buy a computer as frequently. The more electronics you buy the more e-waste you’ll generate. So, take good care of your products and try to avoid giving in to the ever-present temptation to replace them.
3. Donate
If you really need to replace your device while it is still working, donate it to somebody who will use it.
4. Recycle
The big electronics manufacturers offer recycling programs. Before throwing away that broken monitor, contact the manufacturer and ask them for the location of a collection center.
5. Replace
Always try to do more with less. Products that combine several functions, such as a multifunctional printer use less energy than one-purpose devices used separately.
6. Learn
Technology users should embrace responsible consumption and be aware of the effects their products cause on the environment. Therefore, it’s important to stay up to date on this subject—this is the only way to eliminate bad habits and to take measures that minimize the impact of e-waste.
7. Choose the original
Companies that manufacture counterfeit products do not follow environmental preservation policies nor do they take responsibility for the products they sell after the end of their useful life.
8. Pay
Products from manufacturers that offer environmental preservation programs may be more expensive—and the reason for this is that part of the costs of these initiatives may be transferred to consumers. The price difference doesn’t hit outrageous levels so it is worth opting for the green alternative. The price difference can, many times, reduce the energy bill.
9. Save energy
When buying an electronic device, choose the product with the lowest power consumption. Also, a conscious consumer should always use a cleaner source of energy (like solar energy) whenever it’s possible.
10. Mobilize
It is important to disseminate information on e-waste. Many technology users are not aware of the size of this problem. Disseminate, but avoid giving those long and catastrophic speeches—like the “eco pain-in-the asses” do, since this is very unpopular.
*Full version of the article written in collaboration with Bruna Menegueço, reporter, published in Gestão Empresarial magazine.
Read this post at the Guindaste blog: The ten commandments of a conscious user*
Years ago, when the word “sustainability” used to give people the creeps, all that companies did was to make sure their products reached the shelves. What consumers did with them was none of their concern. Today, they are starting to go in the opposite direction: from consumers back to the company. Faced with this scenario, they have two big challenges. The first is to convince us to return our old equipment, instead of throwing it away. The second, which is much more expensive, is to produce less toxic equipment.
In this sense, there are no definitive solutions. Technology companies like Lenovo, Itautec, Dell and HP have been trying out a series of actions, from choosing suppliers who are committed to social and environmental issues to changing the make-up of their equipment. This alone does not solve the entire problem. But it is a start. Find out what each substance does to our bodies and the environment:
Lead
It’s a neurotoxin that also affects kidneys and the reproductive system. It may harm children’s mental development.
Where it is used: Computer, cell phone and TV.
PVC
When burnt, this versatile plastic releases highly toxic dioxins.
Where it is used: In wires, to isolate power currents.
Polybromides in fire retardants
This group of compounds may harm the thyroid and affect fetal development.
Where it is used: In several electronic components, to prevent fires.
Barium
Intense exposure to barium causes gastrointestinal problems, muscular weakness, respiratory distress and increases or decreases in blood pressure.
Where it is used: In batteries and other types of energy accumulators.
Mercury
Associated with neurological and renal damage; harmful to fetuses. May be transmitted through breast milk.
Where it is used: Computer, monitor and flat-screen TV.
Beryllium
Carcinogenic, beryllium dust causes pulmonary diseases.
Where it is used: Computer and cell phone.
Cadmium
Long-term exposure to this carcinogenic element causes kidney and bone damage.
Where it is used: Computer, old CRT monitors, laptop batteries.
*Full version of the article written in collaboration with Bruna Menegueço, reporter, published in Gestão Empresarial magazine.
Read this post at the Guindaste blog: Technology in the green trend - 2*
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