Virtually everyone today uses electronics in some way or another, whether it be a cell-phone, a TV, or a computer. But what happens when these electronics grow old and stop functioning correctly? Well, the user will replace them with newer tech, but where do the old electronics go? - Often times, they irresponsibly go to a landfill. On December 31, 2014, Molly Wood, frequent writer for the New York Times, wrote an article concerning E-Waste, its effects and ways to properly dispose of it. In order to inform the public of how to manage E-Waste, Wood employs relatable language as well as testimony from renowned sources.
Wood opens her article by explaining the issue as it exists, that is, explains what E-Waste is. In order to appeal to the reader, she uses unifying and relatable language stating, “maybe you replaced old electronics over the holidays or you’re just sweeping out the old and ushering in the New Year [...] For everyone’s sake, including Mother Nature’s try to get rid of your old technology the right way.” (Woods 1). Through her implementation of words such as “you” and by describing likely situations, Wood is able to show the reader how they can be contributing to this issue. Tying who is affected to this idea is more likely to make the reader brought to more attention. As a result of this, the reader may feel a sort of call to action to change the way they are acting, thus putting a stop to the production of as much E-Waste. Furthering these ideas, Wood includes statements from experts on the topic.
Through the inclusion of expert testimony on E-Waste, Wood is able to further describe the effects of the pollution. Speaking with James Kao, the CEO of a recycling company in California, called GreenCitizen, Kao said, “If you don’t know where the material goes, you could be thinking you’re doing the right thing, but it ends up being put on a ship and contributing to global dumping.” (Woods 6). By including statements such as those from Kao, Woods may cause people to realize that they are unaware of the ways that they may actually be affecting the rest of the world. For many, throwing something in the trash is a way of throwing away your problem, but this is not the case. In many cases, E-Waste is left in a landfill to deteriorate for hundreds of thousands of years, polluting the environment.
Ultimately, I do agree with Woods and that it is essential that E-Waste is correctly disposed of. Thankfully, many recycling centers and even stores like Best Buy now offer E-Waste recycling programs in order to properly dispose of this waste to reduce the environmental impact of getting rid of old electronics.
No comments:
Post a Comment