Solutionary Project Outline

I. Thesis Statement
A. Keep e waste out of landfills
I. “Electronic waste is a global ecological issue. It raises concern about air
pollution, water pollution, soil pollution, information security, and even
human exploitation. Air can be polluted when scavengers burn
electronic waste to get the copper. If not disposed of properly, toxins
from electronic waste can enter the soil and water supplies.” (Ahmed,
Syed Faraz. “The Global Cost of Electronic Waste.” The Atlantic, Atlantic
Media Company, 29 Sept. 2016,
www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2016/09/the-global-cost-of-
electronic-waste/502019/.)
II. “Some brominated flame retardants, used in circuit boards and plastic
casings, do not break down easily.  Long-term exposure can lead to
impaired learning and memory functions. They can also interfere with
thyroid and estrogen hormone systems. The cathode ray tubes (CRT) in
monitors contains lead. Exposure to lead can cause intellectual
impairment and damage the nervous, blood, and reproductive systems.
Cadmium, used in rechargeable computer batteries, contacts, and
switches and in older CRTs, is highly toxic, primarily affecting the
kidneys and bones. Mercury, used in lighting devices for flat-screen
displays, can damage the brain and central nervous system, particularly
during early development. Compounds of hexavalent chromium, used in
the production of metal housings, are highly toxic and carcinogenic to
people. Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) is a chlorinated plastic used in some
electronics products and for insulation on wires and cables. Chlorinated
dioxins and furans are released when PVC is burned. These chemicals
are highly persistent in the environment and many are toxic even in
very low concentrations.” (Vohs, Chuck “Digital Technology Merit
Badge.” LinkedIn SlideShare, 10 Jan. 2015,
www.slideshare.net/ChuckVohs/2015-digitaltechnology.)

B. Refurbish computers so they can reused and given to people

I. “In 2016, e-waste reached 44.7 million metric tons per year, comparable to the
size of the nine Pyramids at Giza, or 1.23 million 18-wheel trucks full of trash.
This is an 8% increase from only two years earlier.7 Of this massive quantity,
only a fraction is collected and recycled, with the largest fraction simply dumped
into landfills or incinerated.” Taken from “Owning Computing’s Environmental
Impact.” (M. D. Abul Kalam Azad, et al. “Generation of Electronic-Waste and Its
Impact on Environment and Public Health in Malaysia.” Annals of Tropical
Medicine & Public Health, vol. 10, no. 5, Sept. 2017, pp. 1123–1127. EBSCOhost,
doi:10.4103/ATMPH.ATMPH_349_17.
II. ” Recycling programs are constructive, but less than 20% of e-waste is recycled.”
Taken from “Owning Computing’s Environmental Impact.” (Chien, Andrew A.
“Owning Computing’s Environmental Impact: For Decades, We Have Carried the
 Conceit That ‘Computing Makes Everything More Efficient,’ so the Impact of
Computing on the Environment Is a Net Positive.” Communications of the ACM,
vol. 62, no. 3, Mar. 2019, p. 5. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?
direct=true&db=edb&AN=134950991&site=eds-live.)

C. Gain knowledge of computer troubleshooting

I. “These are the images that the media loves to show, of young men and boys
burning wires and cables to recover copper and aluminum, using Styrofoam and old
tires as fuel, seriously hurting themselves and the environment. It's a super-toxic
process, producing pollutants that enter the global ecosystem, build up in fatty
tissue and threaten the top of the food chain.”

II.“people make it their business to know exactly what's inside. Scrap dealers recover
copper, aluminum, steel, glass, plastic and printed circuit boards. It's called "urban mining." It's
now more efficient for us to mine materials from our waste. There is 10 times more gold, silver,
platinum, palladium in one ton of our electronics than in one ton of ore mined from beneath the
surface of the earth.”

D. Project Process
a. First, I had to research different places to interview
b. Next, I had to get my interview questions ready
c. I then had to arrange a date where I could speak with them about the questions
d. I would then go over and do the service with them if they needed it and try to
get the hours in