What should you do with your old computer? While going "Office Space" is one idea, a safer and more productive idea is to have your computer recycled by the Wisconsin Dept of correction's COMPUTER RECYCLING COMMUNITY SERVICE PROGRAM.

This DNR-funded recycling program started in 1996 and has been enormously successful at meeting community needs for disposal of computer electronics while keeping computer equipment out of landfills and instead recycling them back into our community. Citizens of Oshkosh can drop off their old computers and accessories at:

HOW IT WORKS

Just drop off your computer terminal, moniter, mouse, keyboard, or any other parts at the Correctional Institute during operation hours. There may be a small fee for the screen associated with the leaded glass and chemicals in the CRT. These materials must be kept out of landfills since they are not biodegradable and can potentially leak into ground water. Check out the donation guidelines here: http://www.buybsi.com/computer.html

Incarcerated individuals employed and trained by skilled staff members clean, refurbish and prepare the computers for return to service in the community. Equipment that is determined not able to be refurbished is de-manufactured, separated by commodity, and sold to recycling vendors. To date, 975,000 (totaling almost 5 million pounds) pieces of equipment that otherwise would have gone into our landfills have been recycled.

Reassembled computers are then donated back to Wisconsin communities to disabled and low-income citizens, non-profit organizations, and educational institutions.

For more information, contact Marilyn Reigstad - 608.240.5237 marilyn.reigstad@doc.state.wi.us


SO WHY RECYCLE COMPUTERS? Please read the ABV's review of the problems of outdated, unwanted computers.

There is a serious problem with unwanted, defective computers and it is only getting worse. According to US News, an estimated 133,000 Computers are retired every day, with less than 15% ever recycled. The Computer Take Back Campaign states that "discarded computers and other consumer electronics (so called e-waste) are the fastest growing portion of our waste stream -- growing almost 3 times faster than our overall municipal waste stream. "

CTBC continues:

""Discarded computers and electronics are toxic hazardous waste. The hundreds of millions of obsolete computers contain a total of more than 1 billion pounds of lead. About 40% of the heavy metals, including lead, mercury and cadmium, in landfills come from electronic equipment discards. The health effects of lead are well known; just 1/70th of a teaspoon of mercury can contaminate 20 acres of a lake, making the fish unfit to eat.

Recycling computers isn't like recycling old cardboard. Less than 10% of discarded computers are currently recycled. What happens to the rest? Many older computers are either stored (in basements, garages, offices, closets and homes awaiting a decision) or increasingly tossed out with the trash out of ignorance of the hazards contained in them (and ignorance to the law since the EPA banned the dumping of computers in '92.

And what about the 10% that are recycled? Some discarded equipment is handled by firms that operate under strict environmental controls and high worker safety protections. Many other firms do not operate under strict controls, removing the valuable metals from the equipment and sending the remaining scrap to landfills or incinerators.

Without adequate protections, workers dismantling discarded electronic equipment are exposed to many chemical compounds with known and suspected negative health effects. Considerably more equipment -- one estimate sets the figure as high as 80% of collected e-waste -- is shipped overseas for dismantling under horrific conditions, poisoning the people, land, air, and water in China, other Asian nations, and possibly Mexico as well.

Massachusetts and California have banned computer monitors and other picture tube devices from their landfills, while other states have moved to outlaw the disposal of particular toxins contained in electronic equipment—such as lead and mercury. Last month, state senators in California proposed legislation that would impose a disposal fee on computers sold there. -http://www.seattleweekly.com/news/0213/news-fullerton.php""

Check out this link from the Clean Computer Campaign to see a breakdown of all of the hazardous chemicals in you computer: Computer Toxics

To find out about local computer recycling near Oshkosh, check out this ABV update -

2005 Common Council Primary

Jenni Ryan 8.39% 1,666
Shirley B. Mattox 13.02% 2,585
Brian Poeschl 12.2% 2,421
Andrew S. Koerwitz 0.96% 191
Meredith Scheuermann 13.07% 2,595
Cheryl Hentz 8.91% 1,769
Michael J. Norton 2.44% 484
Mariana Stout 2.9% 575
Bob Poeschl 7.07% 1,403
Bryan L. Bain 8.64% 1,716
Ronald Abitz 1.97% 392
Joe Jungwirth 9.17% 1,821
Michael Domke 2.64% 525
John Weinsheim 8.49% 1,685
Write-in 0.12% 24

Total Votes: 19852


2006 Common Council Primary

Burk Tower 16.76% 2,211
Dennis McHugh 19.89% 2,624
Michelle Bodgen 5.64% 744
Mary Meyst 6.41% 846
Brian Poeschl 10.88% 1,435
Mark Madison 9.07% 1,197
Paul J. Esslinger 19.44% 2,564
Kent Monte 7.03% 927
Michael Domke 4.78% 631
Write-in 0.09% 12

Total Votes: 13191

A Jefferson County Judge has ruled in favor of the Watertown Peace and Democracy Coalition today, allowing citizens the chance to voice their opinion on the war.

The background: Greens and members of the Watertown Peace and Democracy Coalition collected enough petition signitures to meet the 15% requirement to directly place the following statement on the April ballot, "Be it resolved that the city of Watertown urges the United States to begin an immediate withdrawal of its troops from Iraq starting with the National Guard and Reserves"

The Watertown city council then voted twice against placing the question on the ballot. The Democracy Coalition then took the city to court. At the trial today, the judge decided in favor of the Democracy Coalition.

Lots of talk lately about all the dirty money at the capital. Rick Berg's piece in the State Journal asks "Why not remove all political ads from television and elevate the debate by forcing candidates to connect with voters in more meaningful and personal ways?"

He also suggests to "Put a cap on campaign spending for all partisan offices. Force candidates to raise at least 75 percent of their campaign contributions from people who live in the district or state they seek to represent. Limit contributions to no more than $500 from any individual."

He continues to make several other suggestions, including banning or limiting out-of-state contributions and limiting personal financing of campaigns.

These suggestions resemble the Campaign Financing reform position of the Wisconsin Green Party: "PACs must be eliminated. Limits should be imposed on the money that candidates can spend on campaigns, with the amount determined for each race by the size of constituency of the office being contested. We support removing economic interests from the electoral process by limiting contributions of cash and services by businesses and individuals. We do not support term limits since they restrict the rights of people to choose their representatives."

Not likely that we will see any limits on spending this year, despite widespread allegation of abuse in the Democratic Party, Republican Party, the Governor's administration, and the Republican challengers for Governor. In quite the contrary, we will see the most expensive governor's race in Wisconsin history. We will have similar effects in our local races.

Note that there are some positives to the reform movement - in addition to the call of Rick Berg and the State Green Party:

• Rep Spencer Black (D) calls for ban of out of state contributions
• AG Peg Lautenschlager (D) challenges Kathleen Falk (D) to some Clean Campaign guildelines
• Sen Mike Ellis (R) continues his fight for mild reform measures
• We have the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign fighting for reform