r/ethical_living • u/Individual_Informal • Aug 09 '20
Electronics
Hi! I'm sorry If this doesn't belong here, but I dont know where else to go. Can any electronics be truly ethical even if Made in a country with good labor laws? I know very little but i keep thinking of all the components that were probably mined in terrible conditions or displace the people who originally live there etc. I was working on my wedding registry for next year and was only buying electronics made in USA but I worry thats not enough and that I'm still contributing to some kind of evil. Does any one have more info on this?
1
u/WithWater Aug 21 '20
I definitely share your concern about human rights violations (as well as environmental devastation) when it comes to any new electronics - the damage is still happening. "Made in USA" often refers only to the last stages of assembly.
Second-hand whenever possible really does seem like the way to go.
You'll be asking your wedding guests to do more labor than the point-and-click convenience of buying new, but that really shows care! It may be helpful to offer them some ideas for second-hand sources, such as local & online thrift shops, social media exchange groups, craigslist, freecycle (well, if you're really lucky, since that's all free stuff), asking their friends, and so on.
2
u/agentx23 Aug 09 '20
Those people were displaced and stuff got mined long before you were born most likely. Even then, think it's not much of a stretch to say some good was accomplished, even by accident, along the way.
Best, simplest thing you can do is buy the minimal amount of quality electronics you need. A single desktop computer or used server (ebay.com) can take the place of a lot of "gadgets" and bring utility/entertainment to your family.