It is really hard to ramp up this Purchase Order for 100,000 CRTs.
The demand for the CRTs is there in two groups. One group simply needs a $20 display unit. Your computer is no good without a monitor. The 3B3K market sees the CRT as longer lasting and more affordable. This is why the refurbishing factories want us to increase the supply, and why they are willing to buy from people who do not remove the bad ones if they cannot get the supply elsewhere.
There is another CRT market - hardcore gamers. They like the CRT because it's better engineered and they don't mind sacrificing the desk space for a wicked awesome game experience. Follow this Youtube post and check out the comments about playstation 3s on CRTs.
Still, I've been making the case for qualified, inspected, fair trade, accountable CRT exports for years. I keep running into the same two types of suppliers - people who already do it and will export them anyway and who don't like the sacrifices involved in Fair Trade exports (lower prices in return for more accountability), and the people who believe BAN.org, that the CRTs are not really being repaired or that think the replacement of parts overseas constitutes a crime.
We have the factory takeback programs, and we have the audits and the demand, but I can't budge BAN and I can't make a living squeezing pennies for the export-for-price market.
Jiminy crickets.
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