Irish-made Green Computer - Iameco
 

Hi Everyone,

I made a post a while back on the environmental impact of recycling computers and in particular of recycling them prematurely, i.e., not life-cycling/re-using them. The post included startling facts such as:

(1) Only 2-3 per cent of PCs are recycled properly;

(2) 500 million PCs have been sent to landfill or incinerated in the past 25 years.
http://www.jumbletown.ie/forums/showthread.php?t=4528

The challenge for computer manufacturers is to make computers (a) last longer and (b) more recyclable or best of all (c) biodegradable. If only we could bury our old PC in the back garden and help our tomatoes to grow! Well, Dublin-based computer company Micropro have done just that with their iameco (I am eco) range of stylish, state-of-the-art green computers with biodegradable components. Nice!

Details here:
http://www.iameco.com/index.html

Regards
Chris P
Admin

Gosh darn
 

I bought a new computer not that long ago and I wish I had known about them. They're fabulous.

They are some crazy stats Chris :(

Do you know if bringing a pc do a bring facility is "recycling it properly" or is there more responsibilities further down the line in order to get it recycled properly? So where are the other 97% and who's responsible for them?

from Admin
 

I'm sure some folks would dispute them -- my original post was based on an Irish Times article. Let's hope they are woefully inaccurate but I doubt it.

The Dept of the Environment recently reported that 83% of all Irish recyclable material is "necessarily exported." (We simply don't have the facilities here and we are unlikely to have them because of "economies of scale" etc.) One presumes that Irish PCs are sent to reputable recycling companies abroad but some may end up in developing nations, providing us with grim pictures like on this thread:

http://www.jumbletown.ie/forums/showthread.php?t=4528

Most people figure that responsibility for their old PC ends when they bring it to the recycling centre, and leave it in the capable hands of the "experts." Is there anything else we can do? I'm not sure...

Does anyone really know? Most are probably piled high around shanty-towns in the developing world. And who's responsible for them? All of us, I guess, but out of sight, out of mind...

Regards
Chris P
Admin

Some not so positive opinions about these here:
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showt...did=2055423907

Doesn't make them look so good now.

from Admin
 

Ouch!

Regardless of the demerits of the IAMECO computer, the fact remains that most computers are disposed of prematurely and, it seems, poorly recycled. So, where to from here? Any other suggestions for a "green" computer?

Regards
Chris P
Admin

Here's an alternative......

Camara in Dublin 'recycle' old PC's to the Third World

http://www.camara.ie/

Old PC's are taken apart and others are upgraded. All 'new' PC's go to schools in the Third World. I've visited their workshop and they do great work, upgrading old PC's that are donated and testing all PC's that go to Africa.

At least here you know as much of your old PC is being 'recycled' in the best sense of the word.

from Admin
 

Hi mrsl,

I made a post in the Green Tips forum a while back on behalf of JumbleTowner, "Camara." Thanks for the reminder -- they do great work!

http://www.jumbletown.ie/forums/show...ghlight=camara

Regards
Chris P
Admin

Anyone have one of these Iameco comps or know anyone that has one? Great idea