Furius Environmentalism

At first glance, sustainability seems at odds with the interest of business and growth policies, but it is simply not acceptable for economics and business to dictate policies which ultimately destroy the environment in an irreversible way. How can we survive without a sane environment? We see that the human race needs to find a zone of compatibility between the processes of development and sustainability, and this is a difficult ongoing process in which all are forming a small part of the problem and solution.

At Furius, we believe that the best way to help maintain a clean environment is by acting first locally, in your own field of activity or expertise. We believe that the scope of our activities should be sensible towards the planet, in a way that promotes sustainability and local and global health.

We work with computers, and therefore we are sensitive to the problem of e-waste. Computers evolve very fast, and this means that a lot of material becomes obsolete very quickly and needs to be disposed of. The same is true for cell phones, whose numbers are increasing dramatically each year. Those devices contain harmful amounts of dangerous precious metals (in particular, lead and mercury) that get released in the environment if not disposed of properly, and end up polluting the food chain, and indirectly, ourselves. YOU SHOULD NEVER THROW AWAY ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT IN THE COMMON CHANNELS OF GARBAGE DISPOSAL.

On this page, you will find local links to some resources that can help you do your part as well. Computer Recyling in Montreal and Canada:

• Aucun Ordi Perdu and Reboot Montreal: local organisations that will take your old computer for free, no matter how old it is, scavenge the working pieces, refurbish the computers and give them to people who need them and will be able to use them, or otherwise dispose of them safely;
• Recyc-Québec: the main government resource and activity center for all sorts of reduction, reuse and recycling matters in the province of Québec;
• Environnement Canada: Environment Canada's Internet resource for weather and environmental information. The Green Lane TM helps connect Canadians, exchange information and share knowledge for environmental decision-making;
• David Suzuki Foundation: David Suzuki is a Canadian scientist, environmentalist and journalist who has been documenting environmental issues for many years in this country. His website offers much practical advice about how you can adapt your lifestyle to reduce its detrimental effect on the environment;
• Freecyle Montreal: an open mailing-list for anyone who wants to give or receive any kinds of stuff for free. This is a good way to have your old stuff reused: you don't want it anymore, but it is likely that some people want it and will pick it up and reuse it. Note: there are Freecycle groups around the world. See the International Freecyle website to find a group in your area.