“Discarding electronics is – apart from being a shame – the cause of the fastest-growing waste stream in the world. This adds up to $62 billion worth of waste, while only 15-20% of all e-waste is recycled. A lot of still usable parts and precious materials are lost. And this also happens in countries that are not responsible for the waste. While it is illegal to ship electronics waste, discarded – but working – devices are allowed on the boat. If, in the Asian or African country of arrival, it turns out that the product does not work, there is often no solution other than dumping, burying or burning. Thus, we saddle others with our waste and additional environmental and health damage.”

I’ve lived in some of these countries. The people who have to live in our garbage are not the ones who created or used it.

Vietnam, the Philippines, and Indonesia have the reputation of being the source of the great Pacific garbage patch. All of that stuff comes from the West where it is expensive to properly dispose, and becomes cheaper to just ship to the trash to poorer nations. In the West, we are largely shielded from the consequences of our actions.

Seems like a neat idea, i just worry about replacement parts and repairs internationally. Also would love to see a nice frequency response test from an independent reviewer, of course ;p