Living off junk: On the tracks of our electronic waste in Ghana

Smartphones, lap-tops, 3-D TVs: the electronics industry ceaselessly produces innovative consumer goods in ever-faster cycles. Yesterday’s cutting-edge gadget is now obsolete, but what happens with all of those old TVs and mobile phones? To answer this question, we’ll take a look at Ghana, one of the countries to which the West’s electronic waste is illegally imported. Business with electronic junk is booming, but it harms both the environment and the human beings who recycle our garbage under the crudest of conditions. We cordially invite you to find out about the underbelly of consumption. We’ll provide a wealth of information and discuss alternatives!

Date: Wed, 15.05.2013, 6–9 pm

Place: Rentzelstraße 17, conference room (ground floor)

Leaders: Sven Scharfenberg, Hendrik Mahns, Wana Liebig, members of the Ghana academic excursion 2013