Climate Action Figures

Season 2, Episode 26: Alex and Sam

• John Whidden • Season 2 • Episode 26

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Join host John in this episode of Climate Action Figures as he talks with brothers Alex and Sam about their initiative to recycle and refurbish electronics, reducing e-waste. They also discuss Martha's repair cafe and share their personal climate actions and hopes for the future.

00:00 Introduction to Climate Action Figures

00:40 QuickFix: Martha's Repair Cafe

01:28 Meet Alex and Sam: The Electronics Recycling Enthusiasts

01:50 The Importance of Electronics Recycling

04:32 Statistics and Studies on E-Waste

06:40 Public Awareness and Education

09:34 Personal Climate Actions and Future Aspirations

11:00 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

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alex-and-sam_1_04-05-2025_122336:

It just Climate Action Figures.

john--he-him-_1_04-05-2025_102335:

Well, hello and welcome to the latest and possibly the greatest- you get to be the judge on that- edition of Climate Action Figures. I am your host, John, and this week on the show you get to meet brilliant brothers who transform tossed tech into tomorrow's treasures. I love iteration. This week's QuickFix comes to us from Martha in Medicine Hat where she started a very cool thing. She calls it a repair cafe, master menders teach new menders as they chat and fix items. Martha says this allows clothing a second or ninth life and allows it not to end up in the landfill like so much of our fast fashion these days I'm gonna throw up a photo on the screen because I went to check out this repair cafe and the conversation was fascinating. And in the conversation we learned that Martha, learned her first lessons in sewing from my grandmother when she was at university many years ago. So talk about full circle. What a neat story. Welcome Alex and Sam.

alex-and-sam_1_04-05-2025_122336:

Hello. Hi.

john--he-him-_1_04-05-2025_102335:

What do you think? about that QuickFix?

alex-and-sam_1_04-05-2025_122336:

I think it's pretty cool. That's a, that sounds like a really good idea to me. I've heard about it before in, uh, I think eighth grade.

john--he-him-_1_04-05-2025_102335:

someone around your area has done a similar kind of thing?

alex-and-sam_1_04-05-2025_122336:

the, the issue of a quick fashion.

john--he-him-_1_04-05-2025_102335:

Oh yes. It is a big issue these days, isn't it?

alex-and-sam_1_04-05-2025_122336:

Yeah.

john--he-him-_1_04-05-2025_102335:

So you two are very interested in electronics recycling. Do you wanna tell us a bit about that, Sam?

alex-and-sam_1_04-05-2025_122336:

Yeah, so we do this mostly for the environment The way I see it. That's one major problem these days. if everyone could just do a, a bit for, um, for the environment, that would turn into something really great.

john--he-him-_1_04-05-2025_102335:

Right now, Alex, you came up with this idea, is that correct?

alex-and-sam_1_04-05-2025_122336:

Yes, I did.

john--he-him-_1_04-05-2025_102335:

How did this get onto your radar?

alex-and-sam_1_04-05-2025_122336:

Well I saw lots of just laptops, tablets, just electronics laying around. I. everywhere in our grandma's house and in our own house and friend's house. And I, I just, I just really thought I had to do something, but I, I, I didn't know where to start. So the ERA, the Electronics Recycling Association gave us a bit of a hand as They need volunteers like us who collect electronics. and we deliver it to them so that they can re refurbish them and give them to somebody who needs them.

john--he-him-_1_04-05-2025_102335:

So your efforts are more about uh, rebuilding refurbishing rather than finding the correct venue for it to be recycled

alex-and-sam_1_04-05-2025_122336:

It will be recycled if it is not reusable.

john--he-him-_1_04-05-2025_102335:

So of the electronics you deal with, what percentage would you guess go to being rebuilt and fixed up and what percent just get recycled?'cause there're no longer any use.

alex-and-sam_1_04-05-2025_122336:

I'd, I'd say a, I we're not quite sure, but I'd say a pretty good amount can be reused

john--he-him-_1_04-05-2025_102335:

So always better to reuse rather than recycle.

alex-and-sam_1_04-05-2025_122336:

obviously.

john--he-him-_1_04-05-2025_102335:

Now, as you know, many people when they finish with their electronics, whether it's a, you know, a, an old radio or a tv, whatever it happens to be, often they'll see their big garbage bin outside and think, wow, there's lots of space in that. I'm just gonna toss it in there and it'll magically disappear when the garbage truck comes on Tuesday. Why not do that? What's the problem with that?

alex-and-sam_1_04-05-2025_122336:

Well, when people do that, that goes into the landfill. And that is just awful for the environment and it's a big problem nowadays. study made in 2020 uh, states that in, in North America, 28% of people say they don't recycle because it's an inconvenience.

john--he-him-_1_04-05-2025_102335:

Are you talking recycling generally or electronics specifically.

alex-and-sam_1_04-05-2025_122336:

It recycling? generally,

john--he-him-_1_04-05-2025_102335:

Okay. And this applies to electronics as well, I assume.

alex-and-sam_1_04-05-2025_122336:

I, I would assume so, yes.

john--he-him-_1_04-05-2025_102335:

So I imagine this is, uh, an issue just in terms of the sheer volume of things going into the landfill that we don't want to contribute, as well as probably some metals like lithium and other things that leach into the soil. But I understand, Alex, you have a, a study that you could share that speaks to this.

alex-and-sam_1_04-05-2025_122336:

Yes, I do. The University of Waterloo did a study and found that e-waste generation per person in Canada has increased from 8.3 kilograms in the year 2000 to 25.3 kilograms in 2020, and it is continuing to increase.

john--he-him-_1_04-05-2025_102335:

Wow, that's a huge amount of waste per person. And imagine all of that put together. If you could put it all in one place, it would be a mountain of electronics. Right.

alex-and-sam_1_04-05-2025_122336:

Yeah,

john--he-him-_1_04-05-2025_102335:

Well, great that you're doing something about that. Uh, Alex, you were motivated by some of these statistics to, uh, put together a report and, uh, you came up with some more interesting numbers, didn't you?

alex-and-sam_1_04-05-2025_122336:

yeah, sure. It was just a small study, so only about 40 people. So we, we asked a few questions. We asked if people knew if there are locations in York region, if there are places to recycle. We asked if they have already donated some of their electronics to be recycled, and if you need more information on how to properly recycle, 85 people said that they know there are locations to recycle, so that's, it should be higher. It's, it's not very hard to tell where they are. you could probably find it on their website or on someplace on the internet.

john--he-him-_1_04-05-2025_102335:

Right. Was that 85% of the people know?

alex-and-sam_1_04-05-2025_122336:

Yes. 85% of the people who responded know that there are locations in York region. 70% of people have donated electronics, which is a, a pretty big number considering everything else.

john--he-him-_1_04-05-2025_102335:

Right.

alex-and-sam_1_04-05-2025_122336:

And almost everybody, 98%, agreed that the region needs more information on how to properly recycle. So more like steps or like explanations on their websites or more just general information on where and how for the region.

john--he-him-_1_04-05-2025_102335:

now, you two are so involved in this. Do you have a strong feeling about what the best way to get that information out there these days is?

alex-and-sam_1_04-05-2025_122336:

It would probably be over the internet, like advertising on videos. It's just something that people in the modern age can really connect with.

john--he-him-_1_04-05-2025_102335:

How about social media? Do you think social media would be a useful tool in that regard? I.

alex-and-sam_1_04-05-2025_122336:

I definitely think that, well, nowadays social media is really, really popular and it's a really good way to spread a message. So it's a pretty convenient way of, uh, telling people to help this cause.

john--he-him-_1_04-05-2025_102335:

Sure. Now, uh, you've done your part to, uh, publicize this by creating a blog. Is that correct?

alex-and-sam_1_04-05-2025_122336:

Yes.

john--he-him-_1_04-05-2025_102335:

Well, we'll, uh, put a, an image of that up on the screen so people can see what that looks like. what are the main things you share on your blog?

alex-and-sam_1_04-05-2025_122336:

I just share like experiences some events that we go to. News on general recycling or electronics recycling. Sometimes when there's an event like National Electronics Recycling Day, I remember I did a post for that. Just telling people to go out and, you know, do their part.

john--he-him-_1_04-05-2025_102335:

Great. Well, we will put a link to that blog in our show notes, so anybody can go check it out if they want to do that. And as, as you think about recycling electronics, what do you think is the most important message people need to hear?

alex-and-sam_1_04-05-2025_122336:

I think the most important message I need to hear is that everybody needs to their part. It doesn't seem like a big thing. But someone needs to start, if nobody does it, it's just gonna keep accumulating and it's gonna get really out of hand. Yeah. Like we all just need to put in a little effort. We need to work together. disperse the task, if, if we all just do a little thing, we will be able to get through this.

john--he-him-_1_04-05-2025_102335:

you're both in high school, is that correct?

alex-and-sam_1_04-05-2025_122336:

Yes.

john--he-him-_1_04-05-2025_102335:

With all your, uh, interest in electronic recycling, I wonder if you think maybe that will take some part in the future career you might pursue someday.

alex-and-sam_1_04-05-2025_122336:

I think it might, considering I, I mean, I, I really want to help the environment for a career for me. That it, it sounds like a good opportunity. It, it sounds like something I, I would want to do.

john--he-him-_1_04-05-2025_102335:

And it's something we're always going to have a lot of, so it should be available to do. How about you, Alex? Do you think you might pursue something with electronics, recycling, or go some different direction? I.

alex-and-sam_1_04-05-2025_122336:

I think I might come across it eventually. I, I'm planning to go into law, so maybe someday I might pass a bill that would help. The environment and recycling

john--he-him-_1_04-05-2025_102335:

Oh, very interesting. Good. Well, all the best as you go in those different directions. well Before we run out of time, we need to ask you two what your climate actions that you have chosen are today.

alex-and-sam_1_04-05-2025_122336:

My climate action would be water bottles. We have stopped using water bottles and we are just using reusable water bottles now

john--he-him-_1_04-05-2025_102335:

Okay, great. And Sam, do you have a, the same one or a different climate action for us?

alex-and-sam_1_04-05-2025_122336:

well, I'm also using reusable water bottles, but we also use, uh, cardboard grocery bags instead of plastic to reduce the, the usage of plastic.

john--he-him-_1_04-05-2025_102335:

Okay. And you reuse those as well.

alex-and-sam_1_04-05-2025_122336:

Yeah.

john--he-him-_1_04-05-2025_102335:

How long do those go before they break down and you have to recycle them?

alex-and-sam_1_04-05-2025_122336:

I think about a week. They're not super strongly built.

john--he-him-_1_04-05-2025_102335:

So you get a couple, you get a couple of uses out of them. Okay, great. Now as young people, you know that we hear a lot about the environment and some challenges we're facing. With all that in mind, what gives you hope these days?

alex-and-sam_1_04-05-2025_122336:

Well, recently we've been to a few events and at these events, I just see everyone there who's for the environment. They, they, they come and see us and they tell us, Hey, I, I don't have any electronics right now, but I, I think of bringing some, and then we, we'd give them a flyer and tell them a date where they could come meet us. So it really just gives me hope to see everyone else who's also fighting for the environment like us.

john--he-him-_1_04-05-2025_102335:

Well, thank you so much for joining us today, Sam and Alex.

alex-and-sam_1_04-05-2025_122336:

Of course. Thank you.

john--he-him-_1_04-05-2025_102335:

I. Thank you, faithful listener or viewer. Please tell a friend about Climate Action Figures so that they can join us for their own dose of hope. We will be back again next week, same time, same place to hear from another climate action figure. Until then,

alex-and-sam_1_04-05-2025_122336:

Go. Actual figures. No, go figures.

john--he-him-_1_04-05-2025_102335:

Until then.

alex-and-sam_1_04-05-2025_122336:

Go figure. Go Figures. No, I was not sync. Wait, can we, can we do a redo?

john--he-him-_1_04-05-2025_102335:

Yeah. Yeah.

alex-and-sam_1_04-05-2025_122336:

I really think we can get it on sync. We can get it on sync.

john--he-him-_1_04-05-2025_102335:

Until then.

alex-and-sam_1_04-05-2025_122336:

Go figures!