The Four-eyed Journal

For months now, I’ve been seriously thinking, even formulating a budget that will enable me to buy my very first flat-screen TV. But after being alerted by a friend to this news story on The Guardian, I’m having to start second-thoughts:

Environment: Climate risk from flat-screen TVs

The rising demand for flat-screen televisions could have a greater impact on global warming than the world’s largest coal-fired power stations, a leading environmental scientist warned yesterday.

Manufacturers use a greenhouse gas called nitrogen trifluoride to make the televisions, and as the sets have become more popular, annual production of the gas has risen to about 4,000 tonnes.

As a driver of global warming, nitrogen trifluoride is 17,000 times more potent than carbon dioxide, yet no one knows how much of it is being released into the atmosphere by the industry, said Michael Prather, director of the environment institute at the University of California, Irvine.

Ah the self-conflicts of having eco-friendly principles and living in a consumerist, hi-tech world. I’m going to look into this a little further, like when I go out window-shopping again for a flat-screen TV, I’m going to ask the dealers if they have any information about the TVs’ environmental ratings or any relevant information. Of course, I’ll go prowling the web for more information and see which manufacturer is concerned and has done something about this issue.

I’m a techno-geek, but I’m also a green geek, and since nitrogen triflouride is known to remain in the atmosphere for 550 years, I don’t want to dump that stuff up there and help destroy our planet. I just hope Samsung, because I got my eyes on their flat-screen TVs, is concerned and have done something about this issue, positively, instead of downplaying this scientific revelation.

It seems that a dSLR will be my newest gadget this year as getting a flat-screen TV has been pushed down my “to-buy” list of gadgets and stuff.

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Two years ago, I blogged about the growing concern about e-junk: old computers, hardware and other gadgets being thrown in landfills by the tons each year. Well today, the issue remains to be of a growing concern as two stories in the Inquirer brings to mind this issue.

The first one, is about achieving a landmark, a record of some sort as the number of personal computers have, according to research firm Gartner, gone beyond one billion units being used all over the world today.

The number of personal computers in use around the world has surpassed one billion, with strong growth in emerging markets set to double the number of PCs by early 2014, research firm Gartner said on Monday.

Mature markets accounted for 58 percent of the first billion installed PCs, but would only account for about 30 percent of the next billion, Gartner said.

“Rapid penetration in emerging markets is being driven by the explosive expansion of broadband and wireless connectivity, the continuing fall in PC average selling prices, and the general realization that PCs are an indispensable tool for advancement,” George Shiffler, research director at Gartner, said.

Gartner expects more than 180 million computers will be replaced this year, with some sold to second owners through various channels, some broken up and recycled, but many simply dumped directly into landfill.

“We estimate … some 35 million PCs will be dumped into landfill with little or no regard for their toxic content,” said Gartner analyst Meike Escherich.

First it was Firefox 3 achieving a Guinness World Record, now it’s the PC. However, the last paragraph I quoted proves that it’s a good thing Firefox is a software, an intangible piece of technology so widely used today.

If it had been another physical gadget, Firefox 2 would’ve easily filled up many landfills once users have replaced them with Firefox 3. Experts say that the number of PCs would continue to grow as more households in developing countries could afford them while others continue to upgrade their existing machines. Where does the old ones go? It’s clear that more and more solutions to handling e-junk must be put in place otherwise, junk PCs could replace junk vehicles in dump sites, junk shops and landfills.

If one billion PCs are causing this much concern about waste disposal and environmental protection, how about three billion mobile phones being used world wide? That’s the focus of the second story also found in the Inquirer; old mobile phones are now becoming a health and environmental hazard.

The fate of the more than three billion of the gadgets in use today will be discussed by more than 1,000 delegates from 170 countries at the meeting on the Basel Convention in Bali, a statement said.

Delegates to the conference will discuss new guidelines for disposing of the phones, which have grown from technological obscurity into a household essential — and a major waste challenge — in a matter of years.

The conference would “consider adopting new sets of guidelines for the environmentally sound management of used and end-of-life mobile phones,” a statement from the organizers said.

“The use of mobile phones has grown exponentially from the first few users in the 1970s to … more than three billion in April, 2008. Sooner or later these phones will be discarded, whole or in parts.”

In all my years of being alive, I’ve used only five mobile phones so far; my very first was a Siemens C-something back in 2000. The second was a Nokia 3210, handed down to me by my grandpa, which was replaced by a Nokia 3310, also handed down by him in 2004. It was in turn replaced by a Nokia 3530 and by May last 2007 it was replaced by a Sony Ericsson K800i. Each phone servicing my needs for an average of two years at the most.

Most of my friends on the other hand had a new mobile phone at least twice in half-a-year. Some even having a new one every three months! While my old phones were either lost or handed over to my other relatives, I still use that relic Nokia 3530 as a secondary phone, my friends simply threw away some of their replaced phones while the others were traded in for the new ones.

Now this is just in my circle of friends. What about the billions of other people who also use mobile phones and replace them in even faster rates? How many phones end up landfills world wide? What are we doing to minimize or eliminate their impact on our environment?

It’s fun, cool and productive to have modern tools, but why does it have to come at stiff price on our health and environment? Surely, we could do better.

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Warning: This is a long rant

Earth Day has gone and passed and though there are still hangovers from the celebration, little has changed. We’re still destroying our planet.

Though things are starting to change, if a little late, the nature channels like Discovery and National Geographic have started to showcase documentaries and programs not just about the environment and nature but how we can protect both. Discovery has their Green Planet programs which so far has been quite interesting. I’ve seen a program about possible solutions to the looming energy/oil crisis.

All of this started when Al Gore’s documentary “An Inconvenient Truth” won several Oscars the year it made headlines. Global warming, the climate change, and saving the environment has taken center stage. But this is in the mainstream media. Where are the eco-bloggers?

In particular, where are the blogs about the Philippine environment?

Blogging has been around in the Philippines eco-blogs must number in the dozens if not hundreds, so I first went to the re-launched TopBlogs.com.ph thinking that it would make my search much easier.

Lo and behold, it doesn’t have a category about the environment or nature. Perhaps it will be added in the next expansion of the site.

Of course this depends on whether environment-focused blogs will come out and flourish in the local blogosphere. And so far, we have a very, very long way to go.

If probloggers have been constantly telling us to find a niche to blog about, this is it. The make money online niche is just so saturated most noobs would just contribute to the ‘noise chamber’. The same goes for the staple niches like technology and gadgets, how to become better bloggers, star/gossip/PBB and others.

Blogging about the Philippine environment would make a lot of sense because our country has been tagged as one of the richest in terms of biodiversity. More insects, plants and animals are found in our islands and no where else in the planet.

We have some of the most diverse and beautiful coral reefs, beaches and lagoons.

“we blog as if everything is fine and dandy in the Philippines”

We also have some of the most polluted cities in the world. Our forests are also one of the fastest disappearing ones. We also have some of the most polluted rivers, some of the worst mining disasters in the world - there are just too much to blog about our environment.

But no, we care more about exotic donuts, cheap notebooks, PBB, expensive coffees, gossip and anime that we blog as if everything is fine and dandy in the Philippines.

I’m starting to rant off and before I go on and on, I’d end it here. Hoping that I would strike some nerves, wake minds and touch others’ sensitive sides, but if it will cause them to start blogging about their neighborhood, their province’s environment situation, our eco-status then all the trouble will be worth it.

We Pinoy bloggers are strong believers in the power of new media and blogging. We’ve already proved that this could change our society. How about we do it once more and this time around, let’s do it to save our environment.

We may not be directly involved but our blogs could be the start of something, good and green.

If not, then to hell with blogging and to hell with the Philippine blogo…oh nevermind.

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Here’s a list of some common and easy eco-friendly things we could start doing this Earth Day. By ’start’ I mean start practicing these until the very last days our lives and not just because today is Earth Day and once it’s over, tomorrow we’ll have no guilt in going back to our dirty and earth-destroying ways.

Pick-up your trash - it’s a small piece of plastic candy wrapper or the terta-pak of your drink, for God’s sake the people who live near dump sites have far bigger problems than you do, so pick it up and put it in the proper trash bins.

Sort your trash - you’re either dumb or blind or just plain evil if you cannot put your trash in its proper trash bin. It has been labeled and color-coded properly and so obviously so that you’ll know which bin to throw in your trash.

Recycle or re-use what you can - bring a basket or huge bag whenever you go shopping, in the market or in the mall. You’d be surprised that you’ll no longer have to spend time getting rid of the dozens of plastic bags you brought home with you because instead of putting a small bottle of lotion or perfume straight into your hand bag or basket. If for now you’re too lazy to recycle your trash, bring it to your local junk shop or join a local recycling group in your community. It’s about time you bond with your neighbors for a good cause and not just to share gossip.

Stop burning your trash - it’s the lazy, Earth-destroyer way. Plus think of all the troubles you give your neighbor whenever you burn stuff on your backyard, front yard, sidewalk or even out on the streets. So you’re not a cave man so throw your trash in the proper bins.

Start composting - They say a great bulk of household trash is leftover food. Do the garbage collector a favor, bury your leftover food in your backyard, a pot or drum of soil and turn it into a compost. It’s your first step to gardening or a great boost if you’re already in it.

Not using it? Turn it off - unplug appliances and devices whenever it is not in use. It will shave a lot off your electricity bill, minimize the risk of having your house burned down and prolong the life of your appliances. Charge your cellphone, iPod, laptop and other gadgets only when the battery is low, it’s called rechargeable for a reason.

Clean up your engine and go for a tune-up - you may not fancy bio-diesel but the least you could do now is to make sure your engine is clean and in the right setup to maximize fuel efficiency. Once “green” cars do become available for the masses go get one. Remember, driving a vehicle is one of the most polluting thing we humans could do today.

Car pool or take the public transport - it doesn’t only save you on gas money but it also brings you closer to the community and less sin to Mother Nature. You would sometimes find it a more relaxing trip to just sit back and relax instead of driving a vehicle yourself.

Join the campaign to save our planet - we’re not asking you to go and duke it out against the whalers or careless oil, mining companies etc. Just become aware of the state of our environment and you’d find simple ways you can help clean it up and save it. Join a local environmental group or start one. God, Mother Nature and your grand children’s great grand children will remember you as a saint and hero.

Watch the “An Inconvenient Truth” later on HBO tonight at 9pm, we’re not saying you to worship Al Gore, we’re asking that you listen to what he’s going to say and what he’s going to show you. Trust me, it will spark something in you.

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The iPhone craze has since toned down as Apple’s newest gadget has become a wordlwide phenomenon. Local techies and Apple afficionados have been itching to have one, be it shipped from some Pinoys overseas or not and hacked to work with the local mobile networks. It seems that almost everyone wants to have an iPhone. Do you?

However, behind the glitz and snazz, oohs and aahhs that has surrounded the iPhone a little known or atleast totally ignored piece of writing about Apple’s newest cash cow. It is this little known article about how ‘green’ or eco- and health-friendly the Apple iPhone is and yes your guess is right, it’s from Greenpeace International.

The article is entitled, Missed call: the iPhone’s hazardous chemicals (When will promises of a greener Apple bear fruit?)

And so let me quote:

Scientific tests, arranged by Greenpeace, reveal that Apple’s iPhone contains hazardous chemicals. The tests uncovered two types of hazardous substances, some of which have already been eliminated by other mobile phone makers.

In May, due to our successful Green my Apple campaign Steve Jobs, the boss of Apple, claimed: “Apple is ahead of, or will soon be ahead of, most of its competitors” on environmental issues.

We watched closely when the iPhone was launched in June for any mention of the green features of the phone from Apple. There was none.

OMG! The iPhone has hazardous chemicals in its components? Greenpeace’s scientists says so. They bought an iPhone, sent it to their lab in the United Kingdom, took it apart, piece by piece and subjected each component to tests that will determine what kind of toxic or hazardous chemicals and what amounts are in there to see whether Apple has lived up to its 2008 commitment of cleaner, safer and more eco-friendly Apple products, aptly named “Greener Apple“.

Greenpeace has released a document that details their scrutiny and analysis of how green the iPhone is, the gist of it can be viewed in this video:

Had enough? Convinced that your iPhone is not eco-friendly and could even be dangerous to your health? Hold on, I suggest giving that document a download and a few minutes of your time to read it. If you can’t find the time nor the will power to read 12 pages of scientific yet profound information, skim it quick but give ample time to read the executive summary which is in the first part and the summary which is of course at near the end of the paper.

Why bother to read that paper when it details how potentially unhealthy and nasty to the environment your iPhone could be? You’d be glad to know, surprised even that in the end, Greenpeace’s stand on the iPhone’s eco-friendliness is not that hard.

For in the conclusion part, they said:

Of the 18 different internal and external components and materials tested from an Apple iPhone purchased in the USA in June 2007, all would appear to be compliant with the requirements of the EU’s Directive on use of certain hazardous substances in electronics and electrical goods (the RoHS Directive). In particular:

• no cadmium or mercury were detected;
• lead and chromium were detected in a small proportion of samples and at relatively low concentrations;
• there was no evidence for the presence of the toxic and regulated form of chromium, chromium (VI), in a range of other metal-plated components tested (primarily screw heads).

Ya see? They tested how “green” the iPhone is in the context of Europe’s laws on the use of hazardous substances in electronics and electronic goods. Since they found out that the iPhone is, at the most, in compliance you could have some good sleep tonight.

However, Greenpeace does bring up an important point in reminding us, Steve Jobs and Apple that it’s not enough that we have the latest cutting-edge gadget, ergonomics, usability and fashion sense, we must also, and always think of our health and the environment. What good would an iPhone be if it affects our reproduction and poisons the environment right?

Apple, in particular iPhone fanboys may already be fuming at me, and true that I’ve never ever had an Apple product like an iPod, Mac, or even an iPhone, save for this Safari for Windows I’m currently using; I’m still glad that Sony Ericsson ranks higher in the eco-friendly mobile companies and my K800i is “greener’ than the iPhone.

But hey, I’m just being concerned for all of you.

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Today is Blog Action Day wherein bloggers all the world are blogging about one topic. This time around it’s about the environment and how we could do something as bloggers to help protect it.

Particularly, the issue of global warming is at the headlines of today’s environmental discussions, debates, movements and blog posts. Movies, documentaries, papers, studies have been produced in order to send the message across; human actvitiy has reached a level of scale wherein we are now a major single player in the planet wherein our movements are now having dramatic impact upon the Earth’s ecology.

That message is also clear in saying that we must do something now, if we are to save our planet, the many beautiful creatures living in it especially our children, and their children and their children in turn.

Progress, development, industrialization and poverty alleviation are all good things, good things only if they do not put at risk the future generation’s chances of having a planet that is still habitable and able to provide for the needs and survival of that generation. Bringing sustainable development into a working reality is great task. We bloggers could help by increasing awareness and conciousness about it. That’s why I’ll share a song, a Filipino song done by one of the Philippines’ best artists and champion of true Filipino music, culture and of the environment; Joey Ayala.

From his album “Mga Awit ng Tanod-Lupa” (Songs of the Earth-guardian) Bathala - which is the supreme creator in Tagalog mythology - is a song about the Earth-guardian or Tanod-lupa, prays for his fellow humans whom because of greed and lust for material wealth and so-called development, have sinned and committed crimes against his fellow humans and the environment. He is alsopraying to the creator for strength, courage and wisdom as he fulfills his task of caring for the environment of which he is an integral part of and from which he came from.

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