Here is an excellent 7 minute, 47 second video on the production of electronics and why the industry’s strategy of “designing for the dump” is toxic for people and our planet.
This strategy highlights the economic concept of “market failure.” Market failures occur when private producers are not forced to internalize all their production costs. Private producers go about their business producing to maximize profit. But because private costs are less than social costs, we get market outcomes that actually lower social welfare.
For more information on the problem and responses to it, check out the story of stuff website here.
Reports from the Economic Front 