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What do you think about when buying one (a mobile phone) of these?

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I think mobile phones are good/bad because….

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…ensuring that our own and other people’s quality of life and human rights are not comprised to fulfill our demands

• Improve quality of life?

• Appropriate for society?

• Maintain cultures and traditions?

• Encourage sociability?

• Material and energy impact?

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…ensuring there is an economic benefit for both the region which produce the product and the region in which it is marketed

• Employment opportunities?

• Type of jobs

• Fair deal?

• Who gets the profit?

• How can it be financed?

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…ensuring that our actions and lifestyles don’t cause the planet’s resources to be used at unsustainable rates

• Pollution

• Where the materials came from?

• Local habitats

• Sustainable rate of use?

• Energy used?

• Transport

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We live in an interdependent world. If you bought a mobile phone which countries do you think will be affected by your decision?

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What about here?

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Ever thought buying one of these could affect one of these?

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Ever thought buying one of these could create one of these?

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Ever thought buying one of these could create this?

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It’s happening here…

Democratic Republic of Congo

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These people are suffering for this…

Columbite-tantalite (CT)

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Demand for mobiles phones

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Demand for mobiles phones

Increased demand for columbite-tantalite (CT)

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Demand for mobiles phones

Increased demand for columbite-tantalite (CT)

Groups from neighboring countries fight to control CT supplies in the Dem. Rep. Of Congo (DRC)

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Demand for mobiles phones

Increased demand for columbite-tantalite (CT)

Groups from neighboring countries fight to control CT supplies in the Dem. Rep. Of Congo (DRC)

Land cleared to make mining easier, leading to destruction of natural habitat

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Demand for mobiles phones

Increased demand for columbite-tantalite (CT)

Groups from neighboring countries fight to control CT supplies in the Dem. Rep. Of Congo (DRC)

Land cleared to make mining easier, leading to destruction of natural habitat

Local population forced off land to allow mining to take place

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Demand for mobiles phones

Increased demand for columbite-tantalite (CT)

Groups from neighboring countries fight to control CT supplies in the Dem. Rep. Of Congo (DRC)

Land cleared to make mining easier, leading to destruction of natural habitat

Local population forced off land to allow mining to take place

Farmers no longer able to grow food, so look for alternative food supplies and work

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Demand for mobiles phones

Increased demand for columbite-tantalite (CT)

Groups from neighboring countries fight to control CT supplies in the Dem. Rep. Of Congo (DRC)

Land cleared to make mining easier, leading to destruction of natural habitat

Local population forced off land to allow mining to take place

Farmers no longer able to grow food, so look for alternative food supplies and work

Gorillas either killed for meat or leave because their habitat has disappeared

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Demand for mobiles phones

Increased demand for columbite-tantalite (CT)

Groups from neighboring countries fight to control CT supplies in the Dem. Rep. Of Congo (DRC)

Land cleared to make mining easier, leading to destruction of natural habitat

Local population forced off land to allow mining to take place

Farmers no longer able to grow food, so look for alternative food supplies and work

Gorillas either killed for meat or leave because their habitat has disappeared

Money from CT finances militia in Uganda and Rwanda, as well as in DRC

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Demand for mobiles phones

Increased demand for columbite-tantalite (CT)

Groups from neighboring countries fight to control CT supplies in the Dem. Rep. Of Congo (DRC)

Land cleared to make mining easier, leading to destruction of natural habitat

Local population forced off land to allow mining to take place

Farmers no longer able to grow food, so look for alternative food supplies and work

Gorillas either killed for meat or leave because their habitat has disappeared

Money from CT finances militia in Uganda and Rwanda, as well as in DRC

Opportunity to make lots of money decreases chance of peace, and increases conflict

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Demand for mobiles phones

Increased demand for columbite-tantalite (CT)

Groups from neighboring countries fight to control CT supplies in the Dem. Rep. Of Congo (DRC)

Land cleared to make mining easier, leading to destruction of natural habitat

Local population forced off land to allow mining to take place

Farmers no longer able to grow food, so look for alternative food supplies and work

Gorillas either killed for meat or leave because their habitat has disappeared

Money from CT finances militia in Uganda and Rwanda, as well as in DRC

Opportunity to make lots of money decreases chance of peace, and increases conflict

Continued fighting in DRC, Uganda and Rwanda

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Do you think CT has had a positive or a negative impact on their lives?

Think about degrees of impact, examples:

• Completely negative,

• Mostly negative,

• Neutral,

• Mostly positive,

• Completely positive.

WHY? JUSTIFY!

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Reuse?

Rethink?

Recycle?

Refuse?

As a consumer and a designer, think of actions you could take to address some of the issues raised.