Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Engineering
• This lecture is quite different than any I’ve ever
given
– It covers largely non-technical material
– It involves a lot my opinions on non-technical subjects.
• That’s something not overly comfortable with
• Please don’t think you need to agree with me
• Topics are:
– The Environment and the impact Computer Engineering
has on it.
• I use, nearly verbatim and with permission, a presentation given
by a senior in one of my classes.
– Ethics in a number of contexts
• Workplace ethics
• Intellectual property laws
Warning
• I’m (again) discussing three topics that each
could (and is) their own class (or major, or
profession)
– This time I’m not overly qualified in the area…
– And I’ve got 30 minutes!
By Jake McCrary
What is electronic waste?
Why is it a problem?
European
◦ Anything with a plug
More than 4.6 million tons of electronic waste
(e-waste) was produced in the US in the year
2000 [Bhuie]
◦ EPA has it that we disposed of 2.4 million tons in
2012.
Grossman, E. (2006). High tech trash: digital devices, hidden toxics, and human health.
Washington, Island Press/Shearwater Books.
Jackson, A. S., A. Shuman, et al. (2006). "Toxic Sweatshops: How UNICOR Prison Recycling
Harms Workers, Communities, the Environment, and the Recycling Industry." Retrieved 10/22,
2006, from http://www.computertakeback.com/docUploads/ToxicSweatshops.pdf.
Johnston, B. R. (2003). "The Political Ecology of Water: An Introduction " Capitalism, nature,
socialism 14(3): 73 - 90.
Mueller, J., H. Griese, et al. (2005). Transition to lead free soldering - a great change for a
better understanding of materials and processes and green electronics.
http://www.electronicstakeback.com/global-e-waste-dumping/prison-
recycling/investigation-finds-workers-exposed-to-heavy-metals/
http://www.epa.gov/epawaste/conserve/materials/ecycling/manage.htm
Now onto Ethics
What are “ethics”?
◦ “book” definition of ethics
a system of principles governing morality and
acceptable conduct
a major branch of philosophy, encompasses right
conduct and good living. It is significantly broader
than the common conception of analyzing right and
wrong
the study of values - good and bad, right and wrong
But….
That sounds pretty removed from day-to-
day activities
◦ What I’m looking for is: