Modern
smart phones and GPS units use
lithium ion batteries which are extremely
polluting in the production
process of the batteries
themselves. But new data now reveals
that the purchase of such products
may in fact contribute to pay for
murder and environmental ruin in
Africa.
Indeed, cobalt is a key ingredient
in the latest generation of
powerful, long-lasting batteries
for cell phones, laptops, and
hybrid cars. About 80 percent of the
world's cobalt supply is believed
to be in central Africa's "copper
belt", a band of ancient,
mineral-endowed soil straddling
Zambia and the Democratic Republic
of the Congo.
Just
as is the case with blood-diamonds in
other parts of Africa, various
rebel factions and the national
army conduct mining of cobalt at
gunpoint or extract levies at
checkpoints along the roads to
fund their fighting.
In addition to the human tragedy,
the open-pit mining that produces
cobalt is causing serious
environmental degradation in the
region.
Finally, let's
not ignore the economic factor: the
multinational mining conglomerates
are basically draining these
countries of their natural
treasures without contributing
enough to the economy or
development of these desperately
poor nations.
Go guilt free, stay politically
correct with our battery-free,
cobalt-free
products.
