Public Private Alliance for Responsible Mineral Trade

...the most dangerous place to be a woman or a girl.  A direct connection between our consumer appetites and the violence in eastern congo ... is the result of this: your cell phone.

-John Prendergast,  the Enough Project

I've written several times about the atrocities of blood minerals, or conflict minerals, found in 'blood phones,' such as this entry.  My interest in this surfaced as a trifecta between a high school Spanish teacher mentioning gorilla's natural habitat being destroyed in order for our cellular communication to occur.  Also, the movie Blood Diamond humanized the whole scenario, with the diamond trade in their case, but it has shifted to these minerals now that are found in electronics, mainly within their batteries.

With further awareness of this dire situation to us Westerners aka consumers, more pressure has been laid upon electronics companies from these conscientious consumers to be responsible in their mineral sourcing.  The U.S. government also began a policy of appropriately sourcing these minerals, beginning in 2009, being passed in 2010, and still being shaped and implemented today.

BUT, there is a new alliance that, I believe, is hopeful in bringing strong collaboration and seeing this law through actual regulation.  It is the Public Private Alliance for Responsible Mineral Trade.  The website can be found here, and includes leaders of the government, influential non-profits, and civil servants.  Their website can be found here.

It is interesting, this subject came up in my trip to India, I think it was from me insisting on returning my cell phone to the store of origin before I left for the States again.  Giving one of my mini-info. rants of how we are such irresponsible consumers, fueling civil war and all, and my friend commented that even more of an impact than the U.S., the mere population size and therefore consumer impact they make on the economy quite possibly make them guiltier of this injustice.  This is true, by numbers.  And yet, realizing the impact that America makes and its rippling effects on other nations and cultures, it is critical for us to lead this initiative in providing properly sourced minerals.  And I am so proud that it is now a societal value that is indeed seeing progress.

How do you feel about purchasing a product with conflict minerals?  If you are unsure if your products contain conflict minerals, they probably do.  It is only through organizations actively seeking sourcing that they can ensure confict-free products.

Do you like Apple?  Do you need Apple?

To review and sign a petition asking Tim Cook, CEO of Apple Inc. to make conflict-free Apple products, click here.


Delly Mawazo Sesete spearheaded this petition, he is a Congo native, and you can hear his request on his YouTube video, here.


This video by the Enough Project simply explains the conflict and how we, the consumers, directly relate to and help fuel it.

The site he refers to is here, Raise Hope for Congo, and you can petition electronic companies to be conflict-free.

Let me and others know your thoughts and commitments.  Thanks!