RE: Rechargeable Batteries and The Congo

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RE: Rechargeable Batteries and The Congo

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ura-soul in Unity Toward Freedom • 10 months ago

This is really part of one of the biggest topics on Earth at this time and goes way beyond technology and minerals. Without writing an essay here, I just want to point out that all of the various forms of vehicle technologies currently in use have similar evil components in their supply chain. The oil industry has been involved with some of the worst atrocities in history, in numerous parts of the world. From Chevron destroying the Rainforests and local communities to the use of human trafficking and slavery to build Dubai from oil money, to the ongoing pollution generated by combustion engines - and on and on. Clearly EVs have their own set of problems that are comparable in some senses.

I think that the best solution is one that doesn't involve engines of any kind and that directs us back towards using our own internal energies.

That being said, I also think that EV production is the only driver for clearing up any of the problems involved atm. At least if you believe the claims of people like Elon Musk (it's possibly not wise to do that). It should ultimately be possible for consumer pressure to force manufacturers to pressure governments to solve the terrible abuses that are taking place in Africa and elsewhere.. but as always, this depends on governments not being corrupt and actually caring about other people (which seems to be a rarity). Though, we have had decades of the oil industry and from what I have seen, there hasn't been a huge amount of progress in solving the similar problems attached to the oil industry.

Also, non rechargeable batteries (alkaline) are made with Zinc and Manganese. Gabon & South Africa are among the world's largest mining locations for Manganese. I am no expert in the sourcing of battery materials, but I suspect that these are not 'clean' supply chains either. Non rechargeable batteries also pollute the land and we would use them in even more vast numbers than we already do without the use of rechargeable versions.

The complexity here is extensive. As is the case with all forms of violence and exploitation, the real answers need to come from within - including the transformation of souls on Earth, such that exploitation and abuses stop because those involved are wise enough. It is a tough challenge, but not too hard to do.

10 months ago in Unity Toward Freedom by ura-soul

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phoenixwren 10 months ago

From what I have learned, some of the "certifications" that certain companies/industries use are just PR bunk, too. Like Starbucks is so big they said "we'll make our own certification program," and it almost never checks any coffee plantations and when it does, they get advance notice so they just send the child workers away that day and so they can say, "look, no child labor" but every other day there is.

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ura-soul 10 months ago

Yes, that kind of thing is common. Same as with the 'clean energy credits' that are sold to people buying non green energy, with the idea that in some way they are actually not buying non green energy. Unfortunately, a large % of the most vocal voices in society are from younger people who completely lack experience in business, behind the scenes (aka 'the real world') and who believe what they are told by the corporate worldview... While at the same time then turning against the corrupt corporations in some areas, but not other - key - ones.

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phoenixwren 10 months ago (edited)

A lot of the "credits" programs are giving credits for "preserving" land that wasn't in danger of being cut down in the first place, yeah. The rare ones that are actually REMOVING carbon are so small scale - like that company that has a mechanical carbon scrubber in Iceland that then pushes it into the rock and mineralizes it there - it does what it says it does, but it's like .01% or something in the scheme of things.
Maybe if all those carbon credits paid for various programs that we know are helpful, like look at the Drawdown program and fund some of those, we might get better results, but generally yeah, with rare exception they're more of a "feel better about that carbon you just used" conscience cleaner then an actual climate cleaner.

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