Cobalt Red | Litsy

Cobalt Red: How the Blood of the Congo Powers Our Lives | Siddharth Kara

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I had heard that electric cars might be worse for the world than gas, and the batteries are the problem, but didn‘t know why. One huge reason is that they require cobalt- all rechargeable batteries do. Cobalt comes from the Congo, where people of all ages (yes, children too) work in the worst conditions you can imagine, risking their lives, for on average a dollar a day. And they have no choice, it‘s the only work available.

Makes me think ā¬‡ļø¸

Soubhiville Makes me think twice about upgrading any rechargeable device. The book is very fact heavy in places, but there are a lot of interviews with workers and middlemen. Not an easy read, both for density and for the devastation. It‘s an emotional gut punch. Not recommended unless you can handle that- the situation is bleak and there‘s no sign it will get better. 2mo

Soubhiville @Hooked_on_books I learned so much, things I had no idea about. Although I‘m emotionally drained by reading it, I‘m glad I‘m educated now. After my review do you still want to read it? If so I‘ll send it back to you š™‚. 2mo

AmyG We slowly destroy our earth. š¢ 2mo

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Ruthiella Not that it will happen, but mass transit would be an excellent solution. I lived over a decade in various cities where I didn‘t have nor did I need a car. 2mo

Hooked_on_books That‘s so nice, but no needā€”I have access to the audio. I‘m sure I‘ll give it a try, but I have an electric car, so I‘ll have to shore myself up before I start listening. On the other side of the coin is the devastation wreaked by fossil fuels and the reality that they will run out and then what? I really don‘t think there are any good answers anymore. Someone gets hurt no matter what, sadly. 2mo

dabbe š–¤š¾š–¤ 2mo

TheBookHippie @Ruthiella right?! Trains. I love them. 2mo

Ruthiella @TheBookHippie It‘s a reading commuter paradise! š 2mo

TheBookHippie @Ruthiella I loathe driving. 2mo

Gissy Wow! Does the author gives suggestions recommendations of what to do? Alternatives? How to stop this? So devastated š” 2mo

Soubhiville @Gissy his only suggestions were about regulating the mining so that it could be done more safely and to pay the Congolese people fairly so that they don‘t need the children to work to help support families- because they literally will starve without having their children work as well. It‘s the saddest situation and working conditions I have ever heard of. 2mo

Soubhiville @Hooked_on_books @Gissy @TheBookHippie @Ruthiella @AmyG sadly it isn‘t only electric cars- it‘s every rechargeable thing we have. Smartphones, tablets, laptops, even things like electric toothbrushes. Unfortunately Amy I think you nailed it- we care too much about all our conveniences, and all of them are bad for the environment, which impacts those in poverty all over the world. 2mo

Soubhiville @Ruthie @TheBookHippie I have always wished to live in a place where I didn‘t need a car. I don‘t like driving either. Unfortunately it hasn‘t worked out yet. 2mo

TheBookHippie @Soubhiville me either currently. 2mo

Soubhiville @TheAromaofBooks this was this month‘s #bookspin for me. 2mo

batsy @Ruthiella That would absolutely be the solution that seems further away for most cities because of lack of political will (those coffers have to be filled š’°š’°š’°) 2mo

batsy Great review. I've added it to my list and I expect it to be infuriating and harrowing. 2mo

TheAromaofBooks Great review!! 2mo

UwannaPublishme Oh my! Really makes me stop and think about all my rechargeables alone š¬ 2mo

78 likes2 stack adds19 comments

Soubhiville

Cobalt Red: How the Blood of the Congo Powers Our Lives | Siddharth Kara

I‘m excited about these #Bookspin and #Doublespin draws this month! Thanks as always @TheAromaofBooks for hosting my favorite monthly challenge. š™‚

Bookzombie Since you are the host of a monthly challenge that made me chuckle. š™‚ I love both of your challenges. 2mo

TheAromaofBooks Yay!! Enjoy!!! 2mo

Soubhiville @Bookzombie I always do Bookspin, and sometimes I skip the #AuthorAMonth. Sshhhh! š¤«š‚ 2mo

77 likes1 stack add3 comments

Soubhiville

Cobalt Red: How the Blood of the Congo Powers Our Lives | Siddharth Kara

I got your package today @Hooked_on_books šš“ Thank you! I can‘t wait to try the jam š‹, you know I love mango. I think all the books sound great, including the Annie Ernaux, who I have never read before but I think I‘ll enjoy. I‘ve seen rave reviews for her.

I actually almost picked the tagged book up on my last visit to the Austin Library but decided I didn‘t have time for it at the moment, Kismet!

I really love the card as well šŗš¤¨.

Soubhiville Today is day 4 in my new home and I‘m working on unpacking. I‘m adapting. š™‚ Thank you again my friend. I‘ll write back soon 4mo

tpixie @Soubhiville Great book haul! Good luck š¨€ making your new house a home!! Are you still in Texas? 4mo

squirrelbrain What a lovely gift package! I really enjoyed How To Build a Boat, and I‘m listening to Happiness Falls right now. Hope you‘re doing OK. š (edited) 4mo

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Soubhiville @tpixie no I‘ve moved back to NC. š™‚ 4mo

Soubhiville @squirrelbrain thank you. Good days and harder days, it‘s a curve. But now that all the hard bits are done I expect it‘ll get easier. š¤¨ 4mo

tpixie @Soubhiville š©µš©µš©µ 4mo

Hooked_on_books Hooray! I‘m glad it arrived safe (I was a little worried about the jam) and a day earlier than expected! I hope opening things up brought a little bright spot to your dayā€”that‘s what your gifts do for me. Enjoy the books! š“ 4mo

Soubhiville @Hooked_on_books it did, I did a little dance when I saw it in the mailbox š•ŗ 4mo

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Hestapleton

Cobalt Red: How the Blood of the Congo Powers Our Lives | Siddharth Kara

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Anyone who owns anything with a rechargeable battery should read this book. I am gutted. It's taken me three months to read this and I've cried almost every time I've picked it up. Major TWs for almost every horrible thing that can happen to child. And those things happened so that we could have smart phones.

Soubhiville Sounds like an important book. Stacked. 8mo

TheAromaofBooks With the increase of battery usage in everything from smart phones, laptops, tablets, and electric cars, this is a topic that has been on my mind. I don't know how to personally, much less as a society, disentangle myself from using items that use these materials that are obtained at such a horrific cost. Did the author have any suggestions for lifestyle changes or companies that are doing things differently? 8mo

Hestapleton @TheAromaofBooks unfortunately there's not much we CAN do besides encourage companies to trace their Cobalt back to the miners. A lot of companies claim to use ethically mined Cobalt, but the author shows how if you trace the chain to the source, that's almost never the case. There is lying and corruption at every level, and the Congo has been brutalized for its natural resources from the beginning. It's a tough history. 8mo

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Ruthiella Publicly traded companies in the US must trace back through the entire supply chain, not just for cobalt, but other conflict minerals in accordance with Section 1502 of the Wall Street Consumer Reform and Protection Act. Private companies in the electronics industry typically follow suit. The EU has similar regulations against using conflict minerals. I‘m not saying this solves the problem, but measures are at least being taken. (edited) 8mo

SamAnne I‘ve had this stacked since it was published but haven‘t gotten to it yet. Something I‘ve been thinking about. I know my IPad has limited life left and I will read this before I make the purchase of a new one. I do love reading books on it. (edited) 8mo

TheAromaofBooks Such a complicated situation. Thank you for sharing your review!! 8mo

Hestapleton @Ruthiella just because they must doesn't mean they aren't or that they aren't being lied to, which is what the author lays out. Even with these regulations in place, Cobalt is still being mined unethically and here's how that can still happen. 8mo

49 likes1 stack add7 comments

Evita

Cobalt Red: How the Blood of the Congo Powers Our Lives | Siddharth Kara

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Everyone needs to read this book!

3 likes

LibraryCin

Cobalt Red: How the Blood of the Congo Powers Our Lives | Siddharth Kara

so-so

This was interesting and so very sad. I didn‘t rate it higher, though, as I did lose interest occasionally. That might have been due to other things on my mind, I‘m not sure.

8 likes

Floresj

Cobalt Red: How the Blood of the Congo Powers Our Lives | Siddharth Kara

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This book depicts the ā€artisanal minerā€¯, how the cobalt that gives our phones and EVs the ability to hold a charge well is mined in the Congo. The living conditions, the physical act of mining, the miners- men, women and children‘s lives and injuries, environmental impact, supply chain, and science behind why this type of cobalt is so precious is described.Definitely backing more regulation, but cynical it would make a dent in a massive problem.

16 likes1 stack add

LibraryCin

Cobalt Red: How the Blood of the Congo Powers Our Lives | Siddharth Kara

so-so

This was interesting and so very sad. I didn‘t rate it higher, though, as I did lose interest occasionally. That might have been due to other things on my mind, I‘m not sure.

12 likes

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