Take back my TV

No.. no... I am not getting inspired by the protagonist of the previously blogged about novel by Touissaint, who attempts to turn off his TV to get some actual work done (in any case, in my case it would be turn off the internet/computer). I have an old TV that has some problems - the purplish hues indicate problems with the picture tube - and it has been laying around gathering dust for over 3 years now. I could go to the city hall and pay the $15 pick-up fee to get it hauled away on garbage day but somehow that has not happened. I presume a TV and computers are difficult to throw away without anyone noticing but I am afraid many batteries and cell phones, which people seem to change every year, are finding their way into landfills.

So, I am glad to read about a Take Back My TV campaign.

E-waste–our global deluge of discarded electronics–is especially hard to deal with though. The pace of technological progress renders whole formats obsolete in the span of a few short years, and things like computers and cell phones are often made with toxic components.

It would be really nice if manufacturers took responsibility for the environmental burdens of their products. That trend is gaining some momentum, but it's not neo-liberal economists clamoring for companies to bear responsibility for these externalities (they only care in theory). It's consumers. Like us.

The Take Back My TV campaign is one example of ordinary consumers demanding that companies give them ways of disposing of TVs they can live with.

So, Panasonic: Can you stop by and pick up my TV. Considering it went bust in < 5 years, you probably owe me more than that but I'll settle for you getting it off my hands! (Yes.. I'm environmentally conscious AND cheap! Not that I cannot afford $15 to get rid of the TV but who is going to go through those pains on a week day!)