What does it cost to upgrade to the newest
iPhone every year? The price is likely higher
than you think, because it’s not just financial, it’s
social and environmental. Did you know that it
takes 500 pounds of raw material to make just
one 8-ounce iPhone? Sue Williams’ fascinating
documentary traverses the globe to track
the true cost of our ever-increasing addiction to
devices that are deliberately designed for obsolescence,
much as Detroit’s cars once were.
As consumers, we constantly crave the latest
laptops, tablets, phones, and gaming systems,
lured by promises of faster speeds and more
powerful technology. But the whole world pays a
heavy price for our ravenous appetite. From Chinese
workers laboring in unsafe conditions and
families exposed to toxic materials, to factories
dumping their pollutants into our communities,
Williams offers a no-holds-barred account of our
technology churn—as well as some surprising
ideas for fixing it.
In Person: Director Sue Williams.
