Step one: make your dollars vote. Make sure that the materials in any electronics you buy in the future have a verified chain of custody, starting from the day they left the ground. And soon, it’ll be a lot easier: in May, the Dodd-Frank Act requires publicly traded companies to issue their first conflict minerals report.
Step two: learn more. Watch movies, look at what nonprofits are doing, or check out some books from your local library. Here are a few to get you started:
Dancing in the Glory of Monsters, by Jason Stearns
Africa's World War: Congo, the Rwandan Genocide, and the Making of a Continental Catastrophe, by Gerard Prunier
The Enough Moment, by John Prendergast with Don Cheadle
King Leopold's Ghost: A Story of Greed, Terror, and Heroism in Colonial Africa, by Adam Hochschild
A Thousand Sisters, by Lisa Shannon
Step 3: spread the word. If you’re not on a college campus (or even if you are), you could start by signing a Change.org petition. But especially if you are on a college campus, take action! For example, the Conflict-Free Campus Initiative is a network of over 100 colleges and universities nationwide where students are actively petitioning their administrations to institute electronics buying policies which support companies who responsibly invest in the Congo’s mining industry. And finally, tell your friends and families. Bring it up in conversations. In this globalized world, too few people are aware of the consequences of their actions. And you, dear reader, are one of the few.
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