Big Tech’s Waste “Solutions” Are a Scam | Rather than face hard truths about reorganizing our system to stop waste, the world is falling victim to empty and inefficient cleanup promises from the te…::Rather than face hard truths about reorganizing our system to stop waste, the world is falling victim to empty and inefficient cleanup promises from the tech industry.
Why don’t we take a look at how the plastics industry handled the public? Here’s Climate Town (YouTube link).
Author cheerypicks a few examples and falls victim to the idea that since one problem is difficult to solve literally nothing can be done. I found it particularly interesting that the article on lithium ion battery recycling wasn’t about the project failing, it was about it getting funded. If I were going to make an argument that something is impossible I would use examples of it failing not of it just starting out. Like for example if I was attacking astrology that would be my method.
It is true however that lithium battery recycling is going to struggle for a bit. Those batteries were not made with recycling in mind. The engineering is going to take some time but the principles are rock solid. You mechanically break the battery down, solvent out what you want, extract it, recirculate it. This is hardly new.
People who think companies like the Ocean Cleanup will solve the problem annoy me.
So, the author’s preferred solution apparently involves completely overhauling our society, down to the mindsets and living conditions of every single person. (Note that this would goes beyond even the usual canard of “overthrowing capitalism”; socialist countries have historically polluted just as bad, or worse.)
If that’s the best alternative, I say we keep shoveling money at Big Tech’s waste management ideas; maybe some of them might actually pay off.
Then don’t use them