Electronic waste is the fastest-growing waste stream globally. A major reason for this is that many manufacturers of electronics design their devices in ways that have built in obsolescence.
A current example of this challenge is the fact that Microsoft is proposing to end its automatic support for Windows 10, starting on Oct. 14. Without this free, easily accessible support and updates, it’s estimated that up to 400 million computers may become obsolete.
This shortsighted decision by Microsoft is unacceptable and must be reversed. Many of the computers affected are helping give people a leg up in education or in the job market. Cutting off support makes the digital divide worse and dooms an untold number of working computers to the scrap heap.
Pennsylvanians should speak up and call on Microsoft to reverse course and continue to offer free support for Windows 10, the product that they sold to millions of Americans.
Concerned Pennsylvanians can email Microsoft directly on this issue through this simple tool created by PennPIRG at bit.ly/windows10pa.
If enough concerned consumers speak up, hopefully Microsoft will listen and change course.