If you are near Central New Jersey and are interested in creative ways to improve energy use, environmental sustainability, "reducing your carbon footprint", and similar topics. you might like this meeting

From a MAKE:Princeton announcement...

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All,

We have a MAKE:Princeton meeting tomorrow! This one will be inside
and away from flame as we discuss sustainability, energy, and ways to
make your home more energy efficient. Discussion will include an
analysis of (1) how energy is used in a home, (2) how energy is wasted
in a home, (3) how wasted energy can be reduced or reclaimed, and (4)
different ways to think about energy efficiency.

And, since this is make, feel free to bring your projects to show and
tell and bring a friend.

Where: Room 039, East Pyne Hall, Princeton University Campus [Visitor Info]
When: Tomorrow, 15 April 2009, 7:00pm
What: MAKE:sustainability
Who: You and your friends.
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I am one of the MAKE:Princeton members. The group has some bright, creative people and the sessions are interesting techie brainstorming learning sessions. You don't have to be coder, engineer, or a techno-geek to enjoy the meetings. We are looking for creative people who like to find new ways of solving problems or doing cool things. Tinkers, Hackers, Artists, what-have-you.

Alas, I have other obligations for Wednesday nights until mid-May, so I won't make it out to this meeting. But I encourage interested people to attend.

Cheers,
Jonathan "J.D." Abolins

Photograph by Nick Johnson from his Flickr site. Used per the photo's Creative Commons licence.

If you've read Make: magazine, you've seen an interesting range of creative tinkering. Interested in meeting other people with such interests?

The Make:Princeton group will be holding its first meeting this Wednesday (Oct 15th). Here's the announcement from the group's blog:

The first meeting of Make:Princeton will be on Wednesday, October 15, 2008 from 7:00pm-9:00pm in 039 East Pyne on Princeton University Campus. Light refreshments (junk food) will be served. Feel free to bring your creations for a show and tell session.

Make:Princeton is a organization of people who share a Do-It-Yourself ethic that allows us to connect with one another and shake knowledge, skills, equipment and tools.

For further information, see our wiki and our news group.

Sounds quite promising. I plan attend and let you know more about it.

J.D. Abolins

Fascinating, but also saddening, article on where some of the discarded electronic goods go for recycling. Some of the discarded e-goods end up overseas in places such as Accra, Ghana. There, people will strip the components for saleable metals and other materials. The conditions are quite unhealthy with potential for long range health problems.

Note: When going to the National Geographic article, don't overlook the links on the left side to the photo gallery and other resources, including suggestions on how to help.

By the way, for my New Jersey readers, Governor Corzine signed into law the NJ "Electronic Waste Recycling Act" on 15 Jan 2008. (Copy of the bill: HTML | PDF) The Act is to take effect 1 Jan 2009. NBC-TV news site has a report on the law. Even before the law goes into effect, there are opportunities to recycle e-waste. Check with your county's recycling coordinators for household electronic waste disposal days such as the ones for Mercer County.

Watching my e-waste-line,
J.D. Abolins