Part of what initially got me interested in conservation was my instinct to question what is seen as “normal” in the world today. Is it “normal” for us to train wild animals to serve as entertainment? Is it “normal” to use the earth as a bottomless pit of resources? Realizing that this, unfortunately is normal in many parts of the world and many people are not questioning the actions we (as a collective species) are taking against the planet, is both disappointing and unsurprising.

It seems that a trend in our world today is a universal acceptance of the way things are that has led to people not questioning the bigger picture. This has led me to wonder in what other ways are we exploiting resources for immediate gain and technological advancements.

After a class session in my master’s program where we discussed the conflict occurring in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and gorilla conservation, I took a deeper dive into the many injustices occurring in this area of the world to better understand what is contributing to this conflict. This issue is the epitome of a one health issue (if you’re unfamiliar with the term one health, see the definition and explanation on our mission page) as the health and wellness of all living creatures in this area are severely compromised. So, let’s get into it.

DRC is a very turbulent and dangerous area of the world and is also home to many species, such as: gorillas, chimpanzees, elephants, hippos, lions, cheetahs, bonobos, and more. This is such a biodiverse area with a number of endangered species in need of protection—including the mountain gorilla, currently listed as critically endangered.

Mountain gorillas are suffering from habitat loss as humans encroach on their land and utilize their habitat for activities such as mining. However, mountain gorillas are also victims of hunting and human violence fueled by civil unrest and war throughout the region.

Mining

A major cause of conflict is mining for earth minerals, such as: gold, tin, coltan and tungsten. These minerals are hugely valuable and are often referred to as “conflict minerals” because of the part they play in the conflicts around DRC. Coltan (as well as tin and tungsten) are earth minerals that are used in smart phones that provide us with long (ish) lasting battery life.

Coltan is also used for solar panels, batteries, computers, lightbulbs, vacuums, and in some electric cars including Tesla. Mining for these minerals is responsible for the death of about 80% of the elephant population and 90% of the mountain gorillas in the region; but it doesn’t stop there, the toll this mining is taking on the human population is just as shocking. At the large mines, it is estimated that every kilogram of coltan mined results in the death of two children.

Disease and injury susceptibility is high due to poor working conditions in which the majority of people are primarily mining with their bare hands, with little to no access to fresh water, in dangerous working environments where mining tunnels often collapse— all for about $3 a day of pay.

On top of human and animal death and exploitation, some of these mines are majorly corrupt and are controlled by militia and rebel groups who use revenue to buy weapons and ammunition. These rebel groups have gone on to kill or displace thousands of people around DRC all while fighting for oil mining in Virunga National Park, home to the critically endangered mountain gorillas as well as many of the species previously mentioned (and so many plants, can’t forget about the plants).

The initial push to begin mining of earth minerals was for one simple purpose, money. And from the ‘need’ for money has come militia and rebel groups, leading to deaths of many humans and animals, horrifying conflict throughout central Africa and further pollution and exploitation of our planet. 

I came across this quote in an article from the GAP project, an organization focused on primate conservation, that really speaks to our (as a collective species, once again) priorities:
“Coltan is a glaring example of how capitalism crosses over human dignity and wildlife for profit and attendance of not so necessary “needs” and shows how the corporate industry today has no sense of environmental responsibility, or even respect for life.” 

So What’s Being Done About It?

Unfortunately, Apple and Samsung are both aware of the conflict surrounding coltan and other minerals (tin, tungsten and gold) but don’t seem to be working to improve the situation. Samsung released a statement saying it “recognizes the seriousness of human rights violations and environmental pollution problems of mineral mining in the Democratic Republic or Congo”. But what is being done? 

I think the most important message for everyone to walk away with is what you can do as a consumer. Now don’t get me wrong, none of the items I previously listed that are made with earth minerals are bad and it doesn’t mean we should avoid using them.

Electric cars are a great way to cut back on carbon emissions and will be a huge win for the climate and it’s obviously not practical to say we will stop using cell phones, laptops, lightbulbs, and all other items that are made with coltan. These items are huge advancements and important parts of everyday life, but it’s so important to be a mindful consumer of products that may have conflict minerals inside of them.

The more we educate ourselves and others about topics such as this one, the more we can change our consumer behavior to try to take some steps toward improving the corruption in this system. Next time you’re looking to buy a new electronic item that may contain conflict minerals I urge you to think about the following:

How Can You Help?

Do you NEED a new one?
Getting a new smart phone yearly is not being a mindful consumer. I think we’ve gotten so use to throwing out items that are still useful to us because we have the ability to upgrade. Having the newest versions of technology is a status symbol and therefore feels really important, but just imagine how much the demand for earth minerals would decrease if everyone put their egos aside and kept their smart phones until they absolutely needed a new one. 

RECYCLE!
All of these items can be recycled for their parts or passed down to someone. If you’re upgrading your technology, why not hand your current technology down to someone so they don’t need to buy new? When you throw your smart phones away, they go to a landfill where they can pollute the air and contaminate soil and water. If you recycle, the minerals and plastics can be reused. This saves energy and reduces the amount of minerals being mined to make smart phones. Recycling these items can really help slow down the pace in which we’re using up earth resources, save wildlife and improve the lives and rights of humans. 

Some great organizations to recycle your phones with include:

• The Jane Goodall Institute: If you register through this link you will be sent a shipping label to send in your old electronics. This service also allows you to donate the value of this electronic to the Jane Goodall Institute to further conserve wildlife!

• GRACE: GRACE is a gorilla rehabilitation center and conservation organization in central Africa. Their staff will use your recycled smart phone (if it’s still in working condition) to help with conservation in the area. Their veterinarians will utilize them to aid in veterinary care and lab testing, and if the phone is not working any longer they will recycle it for you!

Both of these organizations are impactful in conserving the species affected by this mining and can benefit from receiving your old electronics. I hope that this inspired some of you to think about the everyday items that we rely so heavily on.

There is so much happening worldwide that so many people are unaware of and yet it affects all of us, the world revolves around money and as consumers we have so much control. Think about the kinds of things you’re supporting, the things we spend our money on says it all. If consumer behavior changes, the world will too. 

As always, feel free to reach out to me with any questions! And subscribe to my blog to get notified whenever a new post is uploaded!