Testimony Wanted: E-Waste Import/Export Trials

The Vermont Fair Trade Recycling Summit is collecting 2-3 minute videos, written testimonials, and quotes about the concept of fair trade as an alternative to export bans and prohibition laws.

We had far too many people who wanted to attend and present their ideas, even after opening a third class.  There will be online streaming of the FTR Event.  That means there will be gaps between classes which is an opportunity for you to present your case, pro or con, to thousands of viewers in Asia, Africa, and Latin America.

The only warning is that there are plenty of facts on the table.  Dozens of import/export businesses are talking about their processes, and how fair reuse can actually fund the manual disassembly of used electronics they generate in their own nations.

Send your 2 paragraphs, or video or link from youtube/vimeo/viddler, to Testimony (at) wr3a.org.

Here's an example (my video response to Good, February 11, 2010...

Video Testimony on fair trade (share your ideas as well!) below (click "more")

(My favorites so far are on the theme of "right to assembly" means "right to affordable internet devices".   The same nations which are cracking down on used device imports are the ones cracking down on internet free assembly... )

Two Weeks To Fair Trade Recycling "E-Waste" Summit

Also bookmark the web page www.fairtraderecycling.org

Press Release Here.

University Sustainability offices invite E-Waste Exporters (African, Latino, Asian) to face with activist, regulators tinyurl.com/fairtewaste
— Robin Ingenthron (@WR3A) April 2, 2013

Keynote speakers and panelists include:

·         Andrea Boron, US International Trade Commission.  Used Electronics Exports (February 2013).
·         Adam Minter, Author, “Junkyard Planet”.  Adam is a reporter for Bloomberg, based in Shanghai, who writes columns for BusinessWeek, Bloomberg, Recycling International, and The Atlantic.
·         Katharina Kummer Peiry, EcoConsult (Geneva, Switzerland). Former Executive Secretary, Basel Convention Secretariat 2007-12.  Former UNEP staff, Nairobi Kenya.
·         Eric Harris, Assoc. Counsel/Dir. Of Govt. & Intl. Affairs, ISRI, (Washington, DC).  Industry representative to UN PACE program.
·         Josh Lepawsky, Geography, Memorial University (Newfoundland, Canada).  Chief researcher, $479,000 Fair Trade Recycling research grant.
·         Ramzy Kahhat, Professor of Engineering, University Pontifica Catholic de Peru, FTR grant.
·         Stephen D’Esposito, President , and  Juliana Birkhoff, Vice President of Collaborative Practice, RESOLVE (resolv.org)
·         Jean Frederic Somda, International Attorney and former Prosecutor General of Burkina Faso
·         Martijn Van Engelen, Aatelco CEO, founder of Fair Trade Electronics in Holland, exporter.
·         Reed Miller, Researcher, MIT.
·         Lynn Rubenstein, Exec Director, NERC.org.  Board Member, R2 Solutions.

They will be joined by international group of importers, recycling regulators, activists, technicians, and geeks.  (Some participating by video).

• Jinex Mindevil, CEO, Ace TV, Lima Peru
• Ruediger Kuehr, United Nations University, Inst for Sustainability, Germany
• Michael Durfor, Executive Director, NRRA, Epsom, New Hampshire
• Colin Davis, VP, WR3A (Fair Trade Recycling), Middlebury, Vermont
• Kyle Wiens, CEO, IFIXIT, producer of documentary “The Fixers”
• Charles Brennick, President, Interconnection, Seattle Washington (WR3A Board)
• Mostaem Billah,Memorial University, Bangladesh
• Jim Lynch, TechSoup Global, California
• Allen Liu and Ow Young Su Fung, CEO and VP, Net Peripheral, Malaysia
• Gordon and John Chiu, CEO and VP, Advanced Global Technology, U.S.A and Peru
• Roberto and Alice Valenzuela, Retroworks de Mexico, Mexico (WR3A Board)
• Mike Rohrbach, Founder, CCLAC.org, Arizona (WR3A Board)
• Timothy Anderson, President, World Computer Exchange, California, U.S.A (WR3A member)
• George Hinkle, CEO, ARCOA Recycling, (WR3A Board)
• Muhammed Wahab Oboi, Importer of electronics, Ghana (WR3A)
• Sarah Commes, PCRR, Refurbishers Group
• Hamdy Moussa, CEO, Medi-Com, Egypt, (WR3A)
• Joshua Goldstein, Professor of Chinese History, USC Los Angeles
• Nancy Jo Craig, CCARC.com, Refurbishers Group, Louisiana
• Oscar Adrian Orta, University of Guadelajara, Mexico (WR3A)
• Adelaide Rivereau, WR3A, Masters in Waste Mgt, Univ Paul Cezanne, France
• Eric Prempeh, Technician, Good Point Recycling, Ghana
• Robin Ingenthron, WR3A, American Retroworks Inc., Good Point Recycling, Vermont
• Brenda Wijnen, University of Amsterdam (WR3A)
• Eva Carreira, WR3A staff, Vermont (WR3A)
• Miguel Macuiza-Artur, Worla Aid, Angola
• Qasim Munir, Good Luck Traders, Lahore, Pakistan

The event will be STREAMED LIVE.  If you are studying, researching, preaching, questioning, or otherwise fascinated by international recycling and scrap trade, you will want to watch this event online (seating is sold out) or participate via live streaming.

Local recycler American Retroworks Inc. and Good Point Recycling will hold an open house the same day in Middlebury, where live streaming of the event can be followed, and you can meet face to face with scrap and reuse buyers from several nations.

Do we make the world better by boycotting people based on their race, nationality, color, or language?  Do we give up too much control of the "end of life" when we let goods be bought and sold overseas?  Do prohibitions mainly benefit the lowest common denominator?  If used computer exports are outlawed, will outlaws control the export business?   Can "stack and pack" really compete with fully functional, tested working, and repairable equipment?

Meet the people who make the policy.  Visit www.fairtraderecycling.org.

"Fair Trade Recycling" is a trademark owned by Robin Ingenthron and licensed to WR3A, the World Reuse, Repair and Recycling Association.  WR3A is a non-profit consortium based in Vermont, with worldwide membership.  Donate to WR3A to support real solutions to resource and waste issues.

Vermont Fair Trade Recycling Summit

Fair Trade Recycling

P. O. Box 1010

Middlebury, Vermont 05753

February 28, 2013

Subject: Invitation

Middlebury College E-Waste Summit

Middlebury, Vermont, United States,

April, 16, 2013

            Fair Trade Recycling (a tradename of the World Reuse, Repair and Recycling Association) is a consortium of concerned environmental and development professionals whose goal is to achieve the best possible standards for trade in used goods for reuse and recycling.   The Association is pleased to invite you to attend the first Fair Trade Recycling Summit.

The Vermont Fair Trade Recycling Summit will be held in Middlebury College  on April, 16, 2013.  It will involve both a rigorous academic discussion of the concept of environmental policy in emerging markets, and a hands on tour of a large New England electronics recycling facility.  Live streaming of the conference will be provided online by Middlebury College.

         When are exports externalizing environmental costs from wealthy to poor nations?

            When are boycotts of developing nations a guise for protectionism, or planned obsolescence?

            What parts of the emerging entrepreneurial market are key to “tinkerer blessing” economics?

            What are the real alternatives for refurbishing and recycling workers in importing nations?

            Can the market provide “alter globalization” alternatives to the current “e-waste” management?

These and other questions will be debated by experts in the development of “e-waste” markets and policies.  Two Middlebury College Courses on will challenge importers, regulators, activists, and exporters with challenging questions on both environmental policy and international politics.   The international group will exchange information, develop a sustainable information network, and provide students at Middlebury College with different points of view on the issues discussed.

            A limited number of seats at the two College classes (to be streamed and recorded) will be available to renewed members of the Fair Trade Recycling association.   Tours of the Vermont recycling operation in Middelbury, with workshops held by importers from countries like Burkina Faso, Egypt, Ghana, Malaysia, Mexico, and Peru, will be available for a $95 donation to WR3A.org. 

The Vermont Fair Trade Recycling Summit is Available to All Middlebury College Students, and to WR3A Members by Invitation.

AGENDA  Tuesday April 16, 2013

MIDDLEBURY COLLEGE (“Academic Track”) 

Two classes held in the morning and the afternoon in Middlebury College with presentations by internationally recognized figures in the field. A third Forum will be held for Middlebury College Students and Community interested in debate over Export of used goods.

11:00-12:15 “Externalization of Opportunity or Harm?” Dr. John Isham. R.A.J. Hall (maximum of participants: 70)

12:15 - 1:15 Lunch Discussion

1:45-3:00 “Environmental Policy in Developing World” Dr. Nadia Horning. Orchard room (maximum of participants: 50)

3:20 pm “Meet the E-Waste Exporters: Balancing Bans & Free Trade?” Panel Discussion moderated by Dr. Josh Lepawsky. Orchard room

AMERICAN RETROWORKS ("Hands-On Track")

As seating at Middlebury College will be limited (online participation details to follow), a second "hands on" track will be offered at American Retroworks Inc., a Vermont E-waste processor.

Meet the people at each processing station, and meet export buyers from 4 continents, face to face, to discuss what they want, need, and need to avoid.