“Cobalt Red”: Smartphones & Electric Cars Rely on Toxic Mineral Mined in Congo by Children
www.democracynow.org
The Democratic Republic of the Congo produces nearly three-quarters of the world’s cobalt, an essential component in rechargeable batteries powering laptops, smartphones and electric vehicles. But those who dig up the valuable mineral often work in horrific and dangerous conditions, says Siddharth Kara, an international expert on modern-day slavery and author of Cobalt Red: How the Blood of the Congo Powers Our Lives. In an in-depth interview, he says the major technology companies that rely on this cobalt from DRC to make their products are turning a blind eye to the human toll and falsely claiming their supply chains are free from abuse, including widespread child labor. “The public health catastrophe on top of the human rights violence on top of the environmental destruction is unlike anything we’ve ever seen in the modern context,” says Kara. “The fact that it is linked to companies worth trillions and that our lives depend on this enormous violence has to be dealt with.”
  • sciEnglish
    13·
    1 year ago

    There’s already a switch ongoing to cobalt-free batteries (half of Teslas produced in 2022 did not use cobalt batteries).

    • dudebro@lemmy.worldEnglish
      183·
      1 year ago

      I don’t really think that’s the answer. We should be compensating these people accordingly for what they provide for us.

      There’s no reason they shouldn’t have thriving economies other than greed.

      No, we shouldn’t have to pay higher prices. The people at the top should be making less profit.

      Unfortunately, in places like Africa, there are just fewer people with an egregious amount of wealth. Even if we paid higher prices or the people at the top made less money, most of what is being made is being siphoned off by those exploiting the workers.

        • dudebro@lemmy.worldEnglish
          11·
          1 year ago

          Yeah, the working conditions need to be improved so that this isn’t even happening.

          To be fair, they’re not all children like you’re clearly implying.

      • sciEnglish
        2·
        1 year ago

        sure, but that goes for any product imported from/outsourced to a country with less worker rights.

  • Sanctus@lemmy.worldEnglish
    8·
    1 year ago

    There was never any moral choice. The modern world can’t exist without exploitation. Return to the trees from which we came.

    • dudebro@lemmy.worldEnglish
      131·
      1 year ago

      I disagree. I think we can have the comforts of modern society without exploiting those who provide us raw materials for them.

      They should get to enjoy in the fruits of their labor as well. Unfortunately, most of their efforts are being siphoned away by greedy and corrupt people and their supporters.

      We can have enough so we all live comfortably.

      We just need to stop taking advantage of others to look good in front of our peers.

  • FarraigePlaisteach@kbin.social
    21·
    1 year ago

    He does the best job of explaining this that I’ve come across.

    I don’t want to support child slavery so I’m trying to quit batteries. instead of upgrading my laptop I got a desktop instead. I don’t plan on upgrading my mobile phone for the same reason and eventually I’ll either just have a pager or nothing.

    The electric car is a dilemma. I don’t know which industry is worse; fossil fuel or big tech.

    • ∟⊔⊤∦∣≶@lemmy.nz
      11·
      1 year ago

      Switch to a more efficient fossil fuel car, or maintain your current car for as long as possible. Its more environmentally friendly to maintain something than build an entire new one

      • xCookes@lemmy.world
        5·
        1 year ago

        Depending on how many miles you drive, this isn’t true unfortunately, a new electric car on a “relatively” clean electric grid can pay off its manufacturing emissions in as little as 12 months.

        “Using this model, Reuters found that, in the United States, a new 54-kilowatt-hour Tesla Model 3 must be driven 13,500 miles before it becomes cleaner than a Toyota Corolla achieving an average 33 mpg over its lifetime. However, if the same Tesla were driven in Norway, it emissions “break-even point” would come at just 8,400 miles, according to the analysis.”