Results tagged “recycling”

Unlike so many of those elderly Chinese men we see on the street walking their miniature dogs (or birds) in their pajamas, Han Fushan, a 71-year-old retired engineer living in Beijing has found a way to give his community something nice to look at. Han spends much of his time transforming discarded plastic bags (fun fact: about 300 tonnes of plastic is thrown away a day here) into high-flying kites. In the process, Han has gained the attention of many fellow park-goers, garnering what Reuters calls a “solid fan base” through his now 600-strong collection of uniquely imaginative kites, some of which feature local sports stars and opera singers. Photo from Xinhua

Ever wonder what happens to your old electronics? 60 Minutes aired a story on the dirty underbelly of electronics "recycling" in the States, and it turns out that a significant amount of American "e-waste" ends up in Chinese landfills. As if China didn't produce enough garbage of its own, computers, cell phones, household electronics, and pretty much anything with petty salvageable parts find their way to Chinese junkyards, and are burned, ripped apart and corroded for valuable metals.

Shanghai Scrap has a great analysis of the differences in mentality between recycling in China and recycling in the West. While in Europe and North America recycling is a moral act done almost as a penance for overconsumption, in the developing world it's done because it's economical.

Here's a good new way to help out a local charity, and avoid paying the scandalous prices some businesses are now charging for carrier bags (we're looking at you Waga's...)

Adam Minter has the answer:

Giving money to the poor in Shanghai is not as straightforward as you'd think.

Shanghaiist was delighted to learn that there is finally an environmentally-friendly way to get rid of the contents of her "electronic junk and bad DVD drawer of death."