A Greenpeace action today exposed electronics giant Hewlett-Packard for backtracking on its public commitment to eliminate key toxic chemicals in its products by the end of this year (1). In Palo Alto, Greenpeace activists climbed to the top of HP's global headquarters and painted the message "Hazardous Products" in big, bold letters on the roof. The message, applied using non toxic children's finger-paint, covered over 11,500 square ft., or the size of two and half basketball courts.

This protest follows similar demonstrations against HP at its offices in China and Holland. HP employees were also greeted today by an automated phone calls from actor William Shatner, calling upon the company to phase out the toxic chemicals.

Finger paints? Shatner? That sounds like a nursery school art class being taught by Captain Kirk.

Greenpeace: Hewlett-Packard = Hazardous Products

Action at global headquarters highlights company's broken promises on hazardous chemical elimination

SAN FRANCISCO – A Greenpeace action today exposed electronics giant Hewlett-Packard for backtracking on its public commitment to eliminate key toxic chemicals in its products by the end of this year (1). In Palo Alto, Greenpeace activists climbed to the top of HP's global headquarters and painted the message "Hazardous Products" in big, bold letters on the roof. The message, applied using non toxic children's finger-paint, covered over 11,500 square ft., or the size of two and half basketball courts.

This protest follows similar demonstrations against HP at its offices in China and Holland. HP employees were also greeted today by an automated phone calls from actor William Shatner, calling upon the company to phase out the toxic chemicals.

"HP continues to put hazardous products on the market despite promises made years ago to phase out these toxic compounds," said Greenpeace International Toxics Campaigner Casey Harrell. "Apple has led the sector in phasing out of these toxic chemicals. HP should be following Apple's lead, instead of breaking its commitment and delaying action."

Earlier this year, HP postponed its 2007 commitment to phase out of dangerous substances such as brominated flame retardants (BFRs) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastics (2) from its computing products. Its delay shifts compliance up to two years from 2009 to 2011.

Apple's new computer lines, virtually free of PVC and completely BFR free (3) demonstrate the technical feasibility and supply chain readiness of producing alternatives to these hazardous substances. Competitors Dell, Lenovo and Acer have stayed ahead of HP by putting models on the market that are free of or at least significantly reduced in the use of PVC and BFRs. HP currently stands in 14th place in the quarterly Greenpeace Guide to Greener Electronics (4) having been penalized in the previous ranking for its backtracking on PVC/BFR phase out.

"Greenpeace will not stand idly by while companies that commit to environmentally responsible action backtrack on commitments," Harrell said. "As the number one seller of PCs worldwide (5), HP has both the responsibility and the ability to make sure the company no longer deserves the moniker ‘Hazardous Products'."

PVC and BFRs are highly toxic, and can release dioxin, a known carcinogen, when burned. With the growing tsunami of electronic waste being shipped to developing countries for open burning, workers who deal with e-waste are at the most significant risk for health impacts. Eliminating these substances will decrease exposure to workers and consumers and will increase the recyclability and reusability of electronic products.

[Image via Flickr]

The protest is led by led by Sweden's Pirate Party, a political organization not officially affiliated with the Pirate Bay but whose interests coincide nicely: The day after the verdict, the Pirate Party's membership grew by 20%. Party chairman Rickard Falkvinge rallied the protesters in downtown Stockholm, saying, "The establishment and the politicians have declared war against our whole generation."

There has been as yet no word detailing precisely how many of the protesters just wanted to wear bandannas and yell "Arr!" [AP]

Take a look at the list and you'll find some online projects and some that involve protests at various locations, some acts of civil disobedience and others just downloading movies that have no digital rights management on them at all. Heck, it's almost like the sixties again. Better get down to it. Tin soldiers and Nixon's calling! – Charlie White

Signup today to join the network [Defective by Design]

"Clear your schedule for a world wide day of action against DRM. On Tuesday October 3rd we will all be taking action to raise the stakes and attempt to increase awareness to the threats of DRM - in a very significant way."

October 3rd Declared "Day Against DRM" [Defective by Design, via Boing Boing]

Relatively advanced technology is normally only available to concentrations of power such as governments or corporations, or a few highly specialised individuals. The N55 SPACE PROGRAMME, and the N55 ROCKET SYSTEM, is part of an effort to distribute and give persons in general access to specialised knowledge and technology.

Amazingly, this conceptual agitative technology was not created by the fabulous Natalie Jeremijenko.

The N55 Rocket System [We Make Money Not Art]