Toxics in the Electronics Industry

Location: Saratoga, Calif.

Silicon Valley is known for technology innovation, but it was also a potential environmental disaster area in 1982 when Ted Smith founded the Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition in response to the public health threat created by hazardous groundwater contamination from high-tech manufacturing facilities in San Jose.

After organizing the community to clean up the groundwater contamination, the Coalition pressured computer and electronics manufacturers to make more environmentally friendly choices and use cleaner production methods. Hewlett Packard, Dell and Apple led the industry in actively responding to the Coalition's Computer TakeBack Campaign, which Smith started in 1997 to get computer companies to recycle obsolete computers appropriately.

Ted Smith has been the pre-eminent pioneer in working for toxics reduction and pollution prevention, first locally, and now in the global electronics industry. Today, Smith is cofounder and coordinator for the International Campaign for Responsible Technology (www.icrt.com)) and is implementing a long-term strategy to promote sustainability within the global high-tech industry.

Tuesday, February 19, 2013, 7-8:30 pm
Saratoga Library
13650 Saratoga Avenue, Saratoga CA 95070

COMMUNITY PROJECT: Please bring your old printer cartridges to this event for recycling and reuse.
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