In our introduction to extraction for green technology, we focused on cobalt in Democratic Republic of Congo and Finland. Now we’ll turn our attention to another critical metal for our departure from oil- copper. Think of all the cables and cords used for electric plug in. All the batteries, screens, and electrics need copper. We do mine a lot of it here in the USA, but most comes from Chile. Here in North America, there are some great EPA standards in place to help- help mitigate pollution. But as we all learned in the last article, other nations without oversight are vulnerable to abuse. In Chile, copper extraction is nationalized- along with lithium, and human rights violations run rampant, while buyers of the mined resource continue to claim they follow strict standards- standards not followed in Chile.
Because people being mistreated elsewhere usually falls on the def ears of privileged consumer circles enjoying eco-friendly lives, perhaps the idea that these same toxic pollutants will come to us in future might encourage some attention. Extraction will continue for at least another 20 years to produce the demanded metal for energy transition plans in developed nations. The import of what we don’t mine ourselves will only increase exposure to breaking down materials, which cause many cancers and birth defects.
There is so much growing concern for the long term effects these metals will have in our communities as their presence grows. Yet the story remains compliant with some kind of ecological miracle in electric technology. Development demands so much input, with ever expanding consumer demand brought on by addictive buying and thoughtless throw away. These habits have been conditioned by capitalistic greed. We all know the symptoms, and we’re all on our couches deeply entrenched in comfort we’re not willing to part with. I certainly drive, type and watch on this screen, and text with my hand computer. What can we do? Well, buy less, purchase local, find ways to avoid single use, buy natural materials when you can. Reduce and reuse- as we were taught in the 80s and early 90s, when there was a brief renaissance in self awareness, as industries realized they could make the consumers think it was their fault things were polluted, and it was, but also the greater responsibility of the producers using vast quantities of resources for economic gain at the cost of environmental stability.
Now, instead of big oil, big mining is hiding the truth about polluted chemical production, and we the people really could care less, until it’s in our backyard and we become NIMBY– another trope in the ongoing dirty money shell game. “Now, instead of big oil, big mining is hiding the truth about polluted chemical production, and we the people really could care less, until it’s in our backyard and we become NIMBY– another trope in the ongoing dirty money shell game. Tell that to the people living near mines around the globe, but such health detriments are creeping into everyone’s backyard. You’re not immune, and the money made will not go to you’re health care, and it should. National healthcare should be subsidized by a pollution tax on all production and development, reflective of the toxicity it produces. The science is out there with these measurements. The industries would cry “we’ll go bankrupt and everyone will loose employment.” Well, they die slowly from the pollution, and we’re conditioned to think it’s our own doing. We are part of the problem, but the solution of just keep doing what we’re already doing is killing us faster. How can we put on the breaks? Stay tuned for Part III.
EEC Forest Stewardship 